The Golden Years Caravan
Retirement: the golden time in life. A chance to travel the world, legitimately use the phrase, ‘not in my day’, whilst rolling around in your massive retirement fund with a grey-blue rinse.
As an ageing population spending almost a third of our lives in our ‘golden years’, how do we disrupt and push back against the stereotypes of cruises and compression stockings?
Tired of the media’s portrayal of grumpy Grandad’s, passive pensioners and senile seniors, Art with Heart set about challenging the ageing conversation by creating a space to share the voices and talents of older people in their local community.
Grab a brew inside The Golden Years Caravan, a roving cinema and art gallery featuring a series of ambitious artworks which confront common perceptions of ageing and retirement.
The Golden Years Caravan is a celebration of the curiosity, creativity and culture of Greater Manchester’s ‘golden generation’ and shares stories of what it’s really like to grow older in Greater Manchester in 2019.
Activities
Gallery:
Take a tour of our pop up gallery featuring Old Stock, New Stock; a photographic exhibition which combats the stereotypical imagery of older people and retirement in stock photography. The exhibition is a colloboration between Art with Heart, photographer Joe Smith, facilitator Jenny Harris and women from the Apna Ghar day centre, part of Ambition for Ageing in Rochdale.
Mini Cinema:
Take a seat inside our art deco themed caravan and watch This Is Our Time, a short film made by Thirty Pound Gentleman and neighbours from Manchester Cares.
Activity Alcove:
Grab a brew inside Activity Alcove where you can join in a host of fun activities. Take a pick from the ‘Lucky Dip’, create your own ‘Bucket List Bingo’ or send a ‘Postcard From Retirement’.
Conversation Corner:
When was the last time you nattered to a neighbour or struck up a conversation with a stranger on the bus? As we plug in and switch off, the art of conversation is in danger of dying out. Take a seat and pick up a conversation pack, guaranteed to kick start a conversation with somebody new or help you to delve a little deeper with your nearest and dearest.
Watch our ‘Old Stock, New Stock’ photographic exhibition in the making.
Access
The caravan is wheelchair accessible. We have partnered with Extant to create a guided tour of our photographic exhibition Old Stock, New Stock, as well as an audio described version of our short film This Is Our Time for visually impaired audiences. This Is Our Time will also be subtitled and Sarah, our caravan host holds BSL Level 3.
Creative Credits
The Golden Years Caravan: Conceived and Curated by Art with Heart
This is Our Time: Short film by Thirty Pound Gentleman and neighbours from Manchester Cares.
Produced by Thirty Pound Gentleman
Production Assistant: Roxanna Sultan
Director / Camera / Editor: Rosie Eliza
Music composed by Zed Bias
Narrative written by Danny ‘Falz’ Fahey
Old Stock, New Stock: Photography Exhibition by Joe Smith and facilitator Jenny Harris and women from Ambition for Ageing in Rochdale
Design: Irene Jade and knitters from Smiths Knits and Chandos Sports and Social Club in Salford
Funders and Partners
The Golden Years Caravan has been made possible by the generous support of The Lowry, Bolton Arts Forum, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Great Place GM; a national Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England initiative.
With special thanks to Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Black Country Touring, Walk the Plank, Lauren Banks, Aquarius Community Centre, Bolton Octagon and Z-Arts.