March 30, 2021
Dear Friends,
 
As I reflect on the events of the last year and embrace hope in 2021, I am filled with gratitude for the vibrant community of supporters who make Arts for the Aging possible. Thank you for believing in the transformative power of the arts and the importance of our creative aging programming.
 
2020 brought intensive metamorphosis to our organization, the region, and the world. As community and residential care centers went into lockdown, the older adults that we reach -- already at greater risk for experiencing isolation and loneliness – became even more vulnerable because of the pandemic. So we enlisted our community of teaching artists, board members, staff, volunteers, museum partners, and most importantly, our clients in aging services to help us reimagine creative aging. Together we continue to explore new mediums and delivery methods for programming.
 
Because of them and because of you, we worked with 26 client partners at 32 locations in Greater Washington D.C., producing online workshops, on-demand video programs, and delivering “heART Kits” - visual, tactile, and literary art kits – to seniors and their caregivers at home, through community and residential centers, and virtual memory cafes. You have given the gift of joy, community, and connection to those who need it most – thank you!
 
I invite you to share in that joy viewing a sample of one of our virtual workshops, Rhythms of Life, with teaching artists Manny Arciniega and Chris Brown.
Despite the challenges of these times, Arts for the Aging will continue to create, inspire, engage, and enrich our creative aging community.

In that spirit, we are embracing a Year of Rebirth in 2021, when we will build back our client base and become a hybrid organization that works both virtually and in-person once it is safe again to do so. We are also emphasizing partnership reach especially to communities that are BIPOC-serving and/or BIPOC-led (Black/Indigenous/People of Color). We are addressing strategic infrastructure development to integrate anti-racist policies and practices throughout our operations and programming. We are continuing to innovate with our multidisciplinary artistic faculty, through our Teaching Artist Institute, to remain on the cutting edge of creative aging. And, we will train new artists in our nationally recognized artful caregiving methodologies to elevate the fields of arts, aging, and healthcare.
 
Thank you for being a part of this journey with us! We are honored to do this work and proud to stand alongside supporters like you.


Be safe. Be kind. Be well.

Janine Tursini
Director & CEO
P.S. -- Read on for more about our reach in 2020, new staff, a news round-up, and the donors who make our mission come alive
Year in Music 2020: Cultural Data
Arts for the Aging’s therapeutic, multidisciplinary arts programs reached 26 client partners at 32 locations in Greater Washington, D.C.; engaged 680 older adults, 114 professional and family caregivers; and were facilitated by a faculty of 25 professional teaching artists
Advancing Our Team
This year we are happy to welcome Stephanie Ogden, who joins our full-time staff as Fundraising and Communications Coordinator. A passionate arts enthusiast, Stephanie comes to us with a rich background in development, previously working with Synetic Theater, National Archives Foundation, and Strathmore. In her spare time, Stephanie can be found dancing, reading, and soaking up the incredible D.C. art scene. She received her master’s in Arts Management from American University.
News Roundup
  • How Exercise Enhances Aging Brains
 
  • Elders and an Artist Bring a Social Sculpture to Life
 
  • Natalia Lafourcade's ravishing rendition of Alma Mia (En Manos de Los Macorinos), by Mexican composer María Grever, features older adults playing, listening to, and feel the joys of music (lyrics translated here)
 
  • A panel discussion on aging, health and creativity
2020 Donors
Innovator - $100,000 to $199,999 
Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County 
 
Devotee - $25,000 to $49,999 
Adobe Employee Community Fund, Clark-Winchcole Foundation, Maryland State Arts Council, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, U.S. Small Business Administration 
 
Groundbreaker - $15,000 to $24,999 
Edward N. and Della L. Thome Memorial Foundation, John Edward Fowler Memorial Foundation, The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, The Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation 
 
Facilitator - $10,000 to $14,999 
Ada L. and Albert M. Wibel Foundation, Stephen and Jeanette Bruce, The Eder/Moreau Family Giving Fund, Heinz Family Foundation, Margaret Mekenie, The Max & Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc. 
 
Collaborator - $5,000 to $9,999 
Chris and Maureen Carr, Montgomery County Council, Milan Selassie, The World Bank Group Community Connections, Don Wright and Lezley McIlveen 
 
Sustainer - $1,000 to $4,999 
Rick and Cindy Beyer, Michelle and Chris Baker, Don and Nancy Bliss, Lauren and Steven Boyle, Meredith Bradley Jenkins, Marla Bush, Svetlana Dimovski and Christopher Rinaldi, Elno Family Foundation, Joan Gervino, Helen Wardman Naselli Memorial Fund, Henry E. Niles Foundation, Herbert O. Wolfe Foundation, Melanie Jarratt Wolfe and Doug Wolfe, Janice Marks, Law Offices of Bruce E. Matter, P.C., Chris Mixter and Linna Barnes, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, Renah Blair Rietzke Family and Community Foundation, Susan Richardson, Deborah Riley, Kyle Roche, Rotary Foundation of Washington D.C., Carol Siegel, Elizabeth Staples and Steven Sterner, The Sulica Fund, Ralph and Bonnie Tursini, Janine Tursini, William H. Cross Foundation 
 
Underwriter - $500 to $999 
Sandy and Albert Bertha, Nathan Billig and Gail Weinmann, Kevin Bryan and Rose MacInnes, Gloria Buckberg, Catalyst Foundation / Diana Dougan, Richard Dana, Wilson Felder and Laura Stottlemyer, Viraj Gandhi, Elinor Ginzler, Nancy and Dick Havlik, John Jacob, Joseph and Kathy Kolar, Devra Marcus, PayPal Giving Fund, Robert N. Alfandre Foundation, Rockville Rotary Club Foundation, Joan Ronnenberg, Annie Simonian Totah, Stephanie Wang 
 
Booster - $250 to $499 
Anonymous, Bob and Jan Blancato, Ruth Bryan, Paula Cleggett, Alexandra de Borchgrave, Nancy Harris, Nazan Kirdar, Elaine Kotel Binder, Isiah and Catherine Leggett, Cheryl McQueen, Susan Murphy, W. DeVier Pierson, Reinsch Pierce Family Foundation, In Memory of Carol and Earl Ravenal, Denise Rollins, Philip Ruppe and Ann Boutell, S. Alexandra Russell, Siltaa LLC / Shae Allen, Scott Span, Deborah Toll, Mike and Nan, Whitehurst, Ryan Wilson and Devona Jefferson 
 
Engager - $100 to $249 
Chirine Alameddine, Henning Amelung, Anonymous, Biosophical Institute, Booz Allen Hamilton, Kathy Borrus, Jeffrey Burroughs, Peter Burroughs and Carlos Cesar Rodriguez, Stuart and Jeneva Burroughs, Jennifer Campbell, Capacity Partners, Raquel Chapin Stephenson, Susan Coco, Jennifer Cohan, Laurent Corroyer, Margaret Easter, Robert Mary Eccles, Susie and Clayton Eisinger, Jakob Engel, Fred and Starr Ezra, Jannes Gibson, Ian Glenday and Kay Giddens, Carlene Gong, Joyce Hagel-Silverman, Matthew Hastings, James Huckenpahler, Anthony Hyatt, Sara Kane, Jay and Ann Kaplan, Sasha Kay, Zaven and Alidz Khachaturian, Carolyn Laurenzano, Lora Leavy, Richard Levine and Wendy Krasner, Dorothy Levy, Willee and Finlay Lewis, Lilliane Litton, Beverly Lunsford, Phyllis and James Madachy, Michael Masone, Leavy Mathews, Susan McQuade, Mary Lou Melley, Naomi Morse, Kay Murphy, Sandra Neubauer, Nonprofit Village, Stephanie and Jay O'Callaghan Family, Orla O'Connor, Joseph Pesce, Jeffrey Phelps, Jumana Qamruddin, Helen Read, Judy Rollins, Phyllis Rumbarger, Gerald-David Runkle, Judith Salerno, Susan Schaefer, Peg Schaefer, Isabelle Schoenfeld, Susan and Richard Schumacher, Judith Scull, Wendy Shay, Betty Shuford, Suzanne Shwetz, Marianne Soponis, Linda Sorkin, Miles Spicer, Timothy Thomas, Suzanne Tolstoy, William Weber, Marjorie Weingold, R. Peter Wolfe and Rachel Doggett, William Wydro and Christine Schadberg, Catherine Wyler 
 
Enthusiast - up to $99
Amazon Smile, Theresa Baamonde, Brent and Elsa Barnes, Raymond and Vivian Bass, Judith Bauer, Judith Berland, Beth Bienvenu, Barbara Bitondo, Chris Brown, Nancy Burgess Black, Sarah Burroughs Joly, Anke Campbell, Nadine Chapman, Valarie Clark, Martha Connor, Hester Decasper, Luigi and Silvana De Luca, Annetta Dexter-Sawyer and Russell Sawyer, Margaret Easter, Kristen Engebretsen, Morgana Finney, Roberta Geier, Heather Godsmark, Goldman, Clearfield & Ocampo LLP, Jennifer Gonzalez, Anila Graupp, Robin and Steve Greenstreet, Stephanie Hanson, Thomas and Claudia Henteleff, Chris Herman, Julie and Donn Herr, Nancy Hirschhorn, Sarah House, Alexandra Hughey, Andre Javier-Barry, Donna and Bob Johnson, Beth Joselow, Kimberley Kaplan, Gamila Karjawally, Elizabeth Kartopoulos, Katia Kroutil, Renee Licorish, Miesha Lites, Nandini Lonkar, Sifiso Maposa, Sally Martin, Wall Matthews, Peggi and Patrick McGovern, Nishta Mehat, Gianluca Mele, Jenean McKay, Donna McKee, Lucas Menut, Microsoft, Yana Nikol, Charlotte Nusberg, Claire Marie Panke, Carmen Pastor, Carla Perlo, Susan Perlstein, Dean Philpott, Janet Platt, Philip Posner, Liliana Pulvirenti, Bhavna Puri, George Ragovis, Beth Richardson, Sandy and Keith Roachford, Claire Roland, Mark Rooney, Rocio Sanchez Vigueras, Ann Schwantes, Lisa Shaw, Bonnie Sherman, Suzanne Sippel, Jeneva Stone, Emilija Timmis, Veronica Thomas, James S. Trefil and Wanda O'Brien-Trefil, James Wascak, Bertha Wilson, Nancy Wise, Sara Zellner, Sebastien Zweidler 
Invest with Confidence
Member Class of 20/21
Catalogue for Philanthropy
Our Mission
Since 1988, Arts for the Aging has engaged older adults and caregivers in health improvement and life enhancement through regular participation in multi-disciplinary, therapeutic group-arts programs which take place in partnership with professional artists, community and residential care settings, museums, and cultural institutions.