We believe that connecting with and responding to music through other forms of creative expression supports wellness. Feelings of autonomy, affiliation, and achievement are key ingredients for sustaining wellbeing even as we face cognitive impairment. Here are some tips for cultivating autonomy, affiliation, and achievement through each concert’s creative exploration:

Autonomy: Support feelings of autonomy by honoring each artist’s choices about what they would like to create, or what material or color they would like to use. Listen to, and honor, the personal connections participants make between the music and their own experiences. Remember, there is no wrong way to make art!

Affiliation: Support feelings of connection during this activity by assisting artists in sharing their work with each other at the end of the group. Invite each artist to give their work a title and share something they like about their piece.

Achievement: The marks we make upon the world (and upon paper) matter! Celebrate participants’ sense of pride and accomplishment by noting what was learned during the concert, and treating the beautiful artwork made with dignity by matting each piece and displaying professionally with artist’s names and titles.