Throughout March, West Yorkshire Playhouse will be continuing its award-winning work with people living with dementia, with Every Third Minute: a festival of theatre, dementia and hope. The first of its kind, the festival has been curated by people living with dementia and their supporters, acknowledging that every third minute in the UK someone will begin living with dementia.
An eclectic programme of performances, conversations, installations, training and workshops, the festival opened with a brand new stage adaptation of Lisa Genova’s best-selling novel of Still Alice.
West Yorkshire Playhouse Theatre and Dementia Research Associate Nicky Taylor said “We hear many stories about caring and grieving for people living with dementia, but we rarely hear stories of people’s experiences of actually living with dementia. Every Third Minute is about amplifying those voices and changing perceptions and attitudes, through a far reaching programme that broadens the narrative of dementia. Placing people with dementia in decision-making positions we can challenge the more negative expectations and limitations that can arrive hand in hand with a diagnosis, and instead celebrate their potential and creativity.”
Every Third Minute Festival curator Bob Fulcher said “I’m thrilled to have curated the Every Third Minute festival and I’ve enjoyed the process immensely. As a curator I’ve really enjoyed making decisions about all aspects of the festival, from the programme, to the festival’s title, logo and even the colours in the brochure. It’s been a real pleasure to be involved, and enormously satisfying to be asked to participate in this way.”
West Yorkshire Playhouse Artistic Director James Brining said “I’m incredibly proud of this industry-leading festival, continuing our pioneering work with people living with dementia. Building on our reputation as the UK’s foremost Dementia Friendly theatre following introducing the first Dementia Friendly performance in 2014 and producing our Best Practice Guide in 2016, it’s fantastic to have the opportunity to put people living with dementia at the heart of the creative process.”
Highlights from the festival includes: Timeslips Training and Certification Programme (Tue 6 & Wed 7 March).
This world renowned, evidence-based creative engagement and community-building method invites older people and to imagine and create new stories together. The programme delivered by Master Trainer, Joan Williamson, includes sessions on practicing with people living with dementia, designing special project and building partnerships and many more.; a Theatre & Dementia Symposium following the performance of Three (Fri 9 March). Three, is a collection of three short plays written by people living with dementia in partnership with professional writers. Showcasing unique stories of life and flights of the imagination by rarely heard voices.
The Symposium will bring together artists and practitioners and reflect on what it means in the arts to work with people living with dementia. The session will include contributions from The Baring Foundation and Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (WCMT); West Yorkshire Playhouse run regular activities for people living with dementia, including Our Time sessions for people living with dementia and their partners, Peer Support Sessions in partnership with other cultural organisations throughout the city, and Dementia Friendly performances. The Playhouse’s innovative approach has been recognised with national awards from the Alzheimer’s Society and National Dementia Care Awards.
Every Third Minute runs from now to Saturday 31 March.
Download the full Third Minute brochure HERE
Full details for Timeslips Training Certification Programme HERE
Symposium link HERE
More information on events is available HERE
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