Exploring the features of co-creativity and relational care

Hannah Zeilig discussed the features of co-creativity, which views creativity as a collective, relational process. This contrasts with traditional ideas of creativity as a trait of individual ‘geniuses’. Everyone, including people living with dementia, are capable of co-creativity, which emphasises shared leadership, inclusivity, improvisation, flexibility, and equality.

Andrew Newman discussed relational care which sees caring relationships as reciprocal, challenging the idea that care residents are passive recipients of care. We discussed insights from two earlier workshops, which took place in Bristol, with art partners (Alive Activities) and Chinese and South Asian community representatives; and Newcastle, with art partners (Equal Arts) and 65 participants including artists, health and social care representatives.

Reflecting on arts activities in a Norwich care home

Artists Dot and Sorrell (Eyebrow Arts) gave an overview of how they facilitated the session and their openness to seeing how activities develop organically. Participants engaged in a mix of inclusive art activities, orienting them to being together in the moment, primarily using hands. Music and singing helped to set a welcoming atmosphere in which to greet residents individually and to bring everyone together at the end. Residents responded positively to hearing and being welcomed by their name.

The session involved more people in a carer capacity than usual. This strong carer presence enabled the artists to ‘tune in’ to the knowledge of care staff, who knew each resident well, to sensitively and responsively initiate activities and explore what was possible through movement, sound, and expression. Fiona Poland asked us to consider how these close resident-carer pairings might open up or close down particular forms of relationality and co-creation, and further questions to explore:

• How can we find the ‘right’ level of holding, limiting, and pacing art activities with people living with dementia, and who can judge what the right level is?
• How may the arrangement of the space, and objects such as tables, shape the kinds of relationships that can emerge in co-creative activities.

Key points from our discussion

• Artists and care staff found it useful to have time to reflect together after art activities, to discuss how the activities may be affecting participants living with dementia.
• Intergenerational art-based projects could support care homes to build external relationships.
• Frequent changes in staffing in care homes and community groups means artists have to re-negotiate and explain art activities to staff who may not be fully aware of what the activities involve.
• We discussed questions relating to funding: how can we get the co-creative arts into care home business plans and make creativity a key consideration for the Care Quality Commission?
• We acknowledged constraints on care staff member’s capacity to fully engage in and support art activities, such as paperwork responsibilities.