Museums reconnect Barcelona’s elderly community with cultural treasures
Project: launching the ‘El Museu s’Apropa’ programme
The Purpose
To facilitate access to cultural experiences for vulnerable people. To help museums and cultural organisations rethink how they best connect with diverse audiences.
The Challenge
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted and amplified the fact that many older people living in nursing homes were socially isolated, with limited access to cultural resources. Ensuring that cultural programs and activities are accessible to people with diverse needs and abilities, including those in nursing homes, can be logistically complex.
The El Museu s’Apropa programme intends to impact not only elderly audiences but also the museums and cultural organisations involved. The museums can rethink their collections, including how they can be best presented to connect with diverse audiences.
The Solution
Barcelona City Council approached Apropa Cultura to request emergency support for those in several municipal nursing homes. In Autumn 2020, the El Museu s’Apropa programme was launched.
Apropa Cultura is a network of cultural programmers who aim to facilitate cultural access for people in vulnerable situations. This is done in partnership with social organisations. The network brings together a range of organisations, places, programmes and training initiatives.
Founded in 2006, Apropa Cultura has collaborated with theatres, museums, concert halls and festivals across Catalonia to deliver a regular programme for its target audiences. Since 2006, more than 375,000 cultural experiences have been organised through the network.
In 2013, Apropa Cultura began to work with the National Museum of Art of Catalonia, the Centre for Contemporary Culture Barcelona, the Picasso Museum and the Museum of Natural Sciences Barcelona. Activities include art workshops, performances and visits to nursing homes to reach elderly audiences.
The Impact
Participants have been visited by educators from the National Art Museum of Catalonia, Picasso Museum, Barcelona Museum of Natural Sciences, Centre for Contemporary Culture of Barcelona (CCCB), Frederic Marés, Barcelona History Museum (MUHBA), Ethnological and World Cultures Museum and Barcelona Design Museum.
The project aims to elevate the mood of participants, work on cognitive processes and increase interpersonal relationships, to encourage enjoyment of a healthy life and good mental health.
The El Museu s’Apropa programme intends to impact not only elderly audiences but also the museums and cultural organisations involved. The museums can rethink their collections, including how they can be best presented to connect with diverse audiences. Activities include dedicated training for cultural technicians, such as accessibility training days. Longer-term relationships are built between the institutions and social organisations to ensure ongoing programming that meets vulnerable audiences’ needs.
Source: World Cities Culture Report 2022
Images Courtesy @ Getty/Canva
