Making makes me feel better

Team: Jill Brewster, Justin Marshall,  Jayne Wallace, Colin Wilson (Northumbria University); Michelle Kindleysides (Beamish Museum).

Funder: Arts and Humanities Research Council

Timeframe: 2017-2020

This research project is a design led inquiry, which aims to understand the benefits on wellbeing for people living with dementia through participatory handcraft making workshops. The study is set in a historically immersive 1940’s cottage at Beamish Museum, the Living Museum of the North. This project builds upon existing collaborative research that the Beamish Health and Wellbeing team have engaged in and sits within the context of a growing practice of engaging people with dementia in cultural activity at non-conventional venues as a valuable alternative to clinical interventions. A qualitative craft-centred research project involving a dementia friendly design team that draws on museum artefacts to inform the design and creation of new handcrafted products. The project uses workshop activities to gain an understanding of the experiences of a small group of people and seeks to unpick the rich detail of the participatory activities in terms of wellbeing.

None at the moment, but check back soon!