Cultural activity is at the heart of our Age Friendly Strategy in Cork City. Cultural Companions is an Age and Opportunity Initiative operating around Ireland that speaks directly to this strategy. COVID-Proofing Cultural Companions is imperative due to the increased restriction and isolation experienced by 55+ age group due to the impact of the current global pandemic.

The aim of Cultural Companions is to address the issue of social isolation amongst older people by facilitating their engagement in arts, heritage and cultural opportunities, and by providing volunteer companions for encouragement and support. COVID-Proofing Cultural Companions is an arts-based research and development initiative. Community groups and cultural venues will collaborate in experimentation with appropriate digital platforms, analogue tools and creative methodologies to facilitate inclusive access to cultural events for older audiences. 

Through this collaborative R&D, an engagement model will be developed to ensure the participation of older people in arts and cultural life in their region despite the challenges posed by COVID 19. Participating organisations will consult with older audiences to deliver programmes that are ambitious, engaging, imaginative, localised and also accommodating of necessary health and safety measures. These programmes will facilitate an exploration of movement and voice in response to ongoing experiences of confinement and cocooning.

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.