1. Claire Craig, Art and Design Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University Moving stories: building connectivity through the arts

2. Over the next 15 minutes Present a compelling argument for the arts and why dementia and creativity go together Celebrate work that is happening at present Role that the arts can play in reducing isolation and building community connectedness

3. Difficulties of some approaches

4. Creativity how we know ourselves how we grow ourselves how we connect to others

5. Connectivity: connecting with self A poem is something that feels into my psyche. It is where it comes out and where it ends up – essence of essences. What matters to me is the me-ness of it. Ian McQueen

6. Connectivity: connecting and communicating with others I want to thank you for listening You see you, you are words Words can make or break you. Sometimes people don ’ t listen They give you your words back And they're all broken, patched up. A person working with John Killick

7. Wider community connectedness: People with dementia have shown 'interpretive and expressive powers that had previously lay hidden‘ It's like he's trying to tell a story using words that don't exist. He knows what he means, but we don't.

8. When Mr. Rosen was asked to provide a title for the painting he wrote, 'Dance of the Beauties.' He smiled rakishly when asked to explain. "I see a naked woman?" he said, shrugging. "I think it's beautiful."

9. Offering new perspectives I wanted to find out if I was artistic. Creativity ’ s an aspect I want to explore. Being able to feel out of the box is what I ’ m picking up. It will happen. It ’ s a bit like waiting on Christmas. You know it ’ s coming but as a child you don ’ t know exactly when. It ’ s a nice feeling. (Houston 2009)

10. Challenging perceptions Being told I had dementia led to a door reopening after a difficult time in my life. New challenges, new friendships. I wanted to raise awareness about dementia and show that people with dementia can re-learn forgotten skills as well as learn something new (James McKillop 2002

11. Moving stories Dynamic, not static Changing attitudes Reciprocity and social capital

12. Creativity and connectivity: joining it all up…..

13. Pioneering approaches: leading the way

14. In summary Creativity and the arts offer ways of building connectivity Importance of reciprocity The arts connect with and transcend each of the pillars and the pillars offer a way of creating cohesion and linking creative approaches and in this way enables us to continue to move forward

15. A final poem Creativity is a flower blossoming, it is individuality open to others new and old It is a bowl of cherries of which you eat each one very slowly It is opening up your mind to boundless possibilities Creativity is your journey. It is a stimulus to activate the stimulus of the mind and body It is a joy, a pleasure, infectious – you will want more It is a freedom which lets your heart sing