By Lia Miller, Executive Director, Creative Arts Network – North Carolina
Tim Carpenter, recognized as one of the top social entrepreneurs in the world, will be keynote speaker at Creative Aging Network-NC’s sixth annual Creative Aging Symposium on Tuesday, May 13, at the Greensboro Cultural Arts Center.
Tim is the founder and executive director of EngAGE, and developer of the revolutionary Senior Arts Colony. Tim has more than 20 years of experience in the field of aging and currently serves on the National Center for Creative Aging board.
Elected a 2008 Ashoka Fellow as one of the top social entrepreneurs in the world, in 2011 he received a James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award for his work transforming affordable senior-housing communities into vibrant centers for learning, wellness and creativity. Tim is also working to pilot his award-winning arts colony model in North Carolina!
In line with Tim’s work, the symposium theme this year is “Where you live; how you live.” He will discuss the importance of reviving the creative spirit of older people living in communities and share how his integrated business/nonprofit model successfully provides college level classes in creative writing, filmmaking, music, dance, visual arts, theatre, and more.
The sites also teach healthy eating, fitness/exercise, fall prevention, health education, and celebrations of life. Symposium attendees will learn how this model of active engagement and lifelong learning results in improved health and well-being for the older adults involved.
Artists, healthcare professionals, family caregivers, and older adults are invited to participate in CAN-NC’s sixth Annual Creative Aging Symposium. Visit http://www.can-nc.org/creative-aging-symposium to learn more and register or call CAN-NC executive director Lia Miller at 336-253-0856.