The Continuous Creative Act of Holding on and Letting Go: 10 Beautiful Minds on the Art of Growing Older

Aging is not a decline but a continuous creative act—a delicate dance of holding onto cherished memories and wisdom while courageously letting go of what no longer serves us. In 2026, as initiatives like the SU-CASA Creative Aging Residency and Lifetime Arts’ Foundations Training proliferate, creative aging programs affirm that art fosters joy, connection, and vitality for older adults.[1][2] This post draws from visionary leaders in the field, imagining 10 beautiful minds whose insights illuminate this art. These “minds” represent real pioneers from ongoing 2026 efforts, blending their philosophies into a tapestry of growth.

1. Joylynn M. Ross: Joy as the Anchor

Teaching artist at The Neon Museum in Nevada, Joylynn embodies holding on to playfulness. “Creative aging brings joy, sparks engagement, and energizes spaces,” she shares, emphasizing hands-on art-making that combats isolation.[2] Hold onto curiosity; let go of rigidity.

2. Christine DeJuliis: Challenging Ageism Through Healing

A teaching artist and peer support specialist at Johns Hopkins, Christine views aging as transformation. Her work challenges “the way we think about aging itself,” opening doors for connection and growth.[2] She teaches: Grip your inner healer’s strength; release societal stereotypes.

3. Susan Oetgen: Lifelong Learning’s Champion

As NASAA’s Arts Learning Projects Director, Susan drives the Creative Aging, Creative Futures initiative, funding state agencies for emerging programs.[3] “The arts underscore essential roles in lifelong learning and healthy aging,” she asserts. Hold public-private partnerships tight; let go of siloed services.[3]

4. The Utah Creative Aging Coalition: Community Kaleidoscope

This coalition, backed by Utah’s Division of Arts & Museums, hosts the Kaleidoscope Festival (August 30–September 13, 2025), celebrating older adults’ creativity statewide.[4] Their mission: Support optimal aging through arts as a clearinghouse for education. Embrace collective vibrancy; release isolation’s grip.[4]

5. Lifetime Arts Founders: Research-Backed Empowerment

Pioneers since 2008, they train over 10,000 professionals in creative aging essentials, proving arts reduce isolation and boost well-being.[2][4] “Prepare teaching artists to develop older adult learners’ creative capacity,” their ethos states. Cling to evidence-based tools; surrender to learners’ innate potential.[2]

6. E.A. Michelson Philanthropy Visionaries: Vitality Arts Expanders

Fueling national expansion since 2016, they’ve underwritten programs like Catalyzing Creative Aging, training teams and granting $210,000 to spark accomplishment and joy.[3][5] Hold onto community-building; let go of ageist limits.

7. LMCC SU-CASA Innovators: Multilingual Bridges

The 2026 SU-CASA Residency pairs artists with Manhattan older adult centers for interactive projects in Spanish, Mandarin, or Cantonese, embodying healthy aging through process-based learning.[1] No prior experience needed—hold cultural responsiveness; release exclusionary barriers.[1]

8. Arts for the Aging Leaders: Social Sparks

Contracting professional artists for curriculums that prevent loneliness, they connect older adults and caregivers, reducing long-term care needs via self-expression.[7] Grip social bonds; let go of solitude.

9. Neuroarts Resource Center Planners: Health Integration Experts

Hosts of the 2026 Training Institute for Arts in Health and Creative Aging, they immerse professionals at arts-health-aging intersections.[6] Hold immersive practices; release outdated health models.[6]

10. National Guild Catalysts: Network Builders

Through 2021’s Catalyzing Creative Aging with Lifetime Arts, they built a national practitioner network, championing arts education for older adults.[5] Sustain networks; release fragmented efforts.

These 10 minds reveal aging’s profound artistry. Holding on means cherishing accumulated wisdom—memories etched like brushstrokes on life’s canvas. Research from Lifetime Arts and NASAA confirms arts engagement enhances emotional, social, and physical health, combating ageism and fostering friendships.[2][3][4] Programs like Utah’s “A Lifetime of Arts Elevated” and NASAA’s prior investments have expanded sequential classes for adults 55+, proving creativity’s preventive power.[4]

Yet, letting go is equally vital. DeJuliis notes how arts challenge rigid aging narratives, while SU-CASA welcomes diverse abilities without prerequisites, urging release of perfectionism.[1][2] Michelson Philanthropy’s Vitality Arts inspires sharing creations in supportive environments, shedding fears of judgment.[5] This duality mirrors life’s rhythm: Artists in these residencies guide “process-based learning,” where older learners experiment freely.[1]

In 2026, momentum surges. NASAA’s fall grant guidelines promise early-year funding, Utah’s FY26 grants (up to $3,000) open August 4, 2025, and NEC Music’s workshops equip teaching artists with age-inclusive tools.[3][4][8] Feedback echoes impact: “It opens doors for connection, healing, and growth.”[2]

Envision a watercolor painting: Holding on retains vivid hues of youth; letting go allows layers to blend into richer tones. These minds teach that growing older amplifies creativity. Older adults in Kaleidoscope Festival performances or SU-CASA projects don’t just participate—they thrive, directing their narratives.[1][4]

Practical Steps to Embrace This Art:
– Join a Program: Apply to SU-CASA (January–June 2026) or Lifetime Arts training for tools in recruitment and culturally responsive design.[1][2]
– Host Locally: Leverage Utah-style coalitions or NASAA peer learning for community events.[3][4]
– Personal Practice: Start small—sketch daily, hold a memory, let a fear dissolve.

This continuous act redefines aging. As these beautiful minds illuminate, it’s not about preservation or loss, but evolution. Through art, we hold eternity’s spark while flowing into tomorrow’s masterpiece. Creativity ensures no chapter ends—only new pages unfold.

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Original source: The Marginalian – The Continuous Creative Act of Holding on and Letting Go: 10 Beautiful Minds on the Art of Growing Older