Our Mission: Arts & Minds is a non-profit organization committed to improving quality of life for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias through engagement with art. We partner with museums to provide meaningful art-centered activities that create positive emotional and cognitive experiences, enhance verbal and non-verbal communication, reduce isolation and build social networks. Our programs empower people with dementia, family members, professional caregivers and educators to strengthen social, emotional and spiritual bonds by engaging with art.

The ART side: Art has the power to inspire and transform. It opens our eyes and minds and enhances our interactions with others. The experience of looking closely allows us to appreciate beauty, exchange ideas, share memories or simply respond to the work in front of us. Art interpretation taps into cognition, emotion and memory to take us to the
heart of what it means to be human. Making art in hands-on workshops allows us to express ourselves creatively with or without words. Through shared aesthetic experiences, care partners learn that, despite cognitive changes, they are able to interact with a greater sense of who they are.

The SCIENCE side: Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common medical conditions associated with aging. Existing medications target memory loss, mood disorders, and behavioral disruptions, but there is not yet a cure. Caring for a person with dementia challenges the stamina, psychological wellbeing and general health of family, friends, and professional caregivers. The condition known as caregiver burnout is perhaps one of the more subtle problems accompanying Alzheimer’s disease. Non-drug interventions, including cognitively and emotionally stimulating arts activities, can benefit both patients and caregivers. Arts & Minds gives caregivers the tools—from brushes to positive experiences—to use in living well. Participants tell us that our programs create positive emotional connections with art and one another.

Arts & Minds partners with museums, foundations, and institutions of higher learning . . .

. . . find out how you can join us