MMoCA to Host Arts Memory Café

New Initiative Builds on Museum Efforts to Serve People with Dementia

MMoCA Arts Memory Café Press Release

MADISON, WI, January 8, 2019 — People living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias have a new opportunity to connect with the power of visual art. The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) is partnering with the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin (ADAW) on the Arts Memory Café, which will take place at the museum.

Starting on January 17, this new program will offer creative enrichment for those experiencing memory loss and will take place the third Thursday of each month through June, from 1–3 pm at MMoCA. A Memory Café is a monthly gathering place for people with memory loss, early Alzheimer’s or other dementias, their family and friends. The Arts Memory Café will include creative activities each month, with occasional talks and presentations by featured artists.

“Art has transformative power and touches people in all stages of life. For people with memory loss or dementia, the arts can enhance quality of life by evoking memories, sparking emotions, and encouraging social interaction” stated Sheri Castelnuovo, MMoCA Curator of Education. “With the Arts Memory Café, we are delighted to partner with the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin to provide new ways for people with dementia to be moved by art and to share their responses with others.”

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia is often isolating. Memory Cafés are designed to combat loneliness and foster community engagement, giving participants an opportunity to connect with others in the dementia journey. There is no cost to attend these programs. Anyone who requires assistance to participate must be accompanied by someone who can provide that support. Detailed information about ADAW-affiliated Memory Cafés, including the Arts Memory Café, is available at www.alzwisc.org

MMoCA adds this new effort to Meeting of Minds at MMoCA, a program that involves participants in the ADAW’s Meeting of Minds program in guided exhibition tours. A memory enhancement program for people with mild memory loss, Meeting of Minds provides creative and cognitivelystimulating exercises such as group storytelling around a theme or discussion of a piece of artwork. MMoCA and the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance offer three Meeting of Minds at MMoCA experiences annually, one for each of the Alliance’s 12-week class sessions. Participants in Meeting of Minds register for the 12-week sessions through the ADAW. The Memory Café is open on a drop-in basis; no pre-registration is required.

A full listing of all ADAW programs is available at www.alzwisc.org. For more information about local ADAW programs and services, contact Noreen Kralapp, Dane County Dementia Outreach Specialist, at 608-661-0463 or email Noreen.kralapp@alzwisc.org.