Creative Aging

Artful Life is the Montana Arts Council's project designed to extend Creative Aging programs across our state. Funded through an awarded Creative Aging, Creative Futures grant from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, this project will involve 6-8 teams of 3 or 4 individuals comprised of one arts administrator, one teaching artist and/or one arts education curator/director and one professional serving older adults. 

Teams selected to participate in the project will become members of a cohort that will together deepen their knowledge of Creative Aging program design through 4 peer learning sessions in the fall of 2026. These sessions will support each team in designing a series of programs for older adults in their community and will award grant funds of up to $10,000 to carry out their program during calendar year 2027.

Using this initial form, one leader representing each team will submit their interest naming all known team members. As needed, MAC staff will work with each applicant to round out their team to a total of up to 4.

Interviews with all applying teams will take place throughout May to identify the cohort by early June. A general timeline of the project follows below; those interested in applying are encouraged to reach out to Monica Grable, Arts Education Director, at (406) 444-6522 or Monica.Grable@mt.gov.

Applications are being accepted through our online grants management system. To see a copy of the application content, click HERE.

To see a recording of the recent Zoom information session on the program, click HERE.

If you are unable to attend or would like to speak with Arts Education Director Monica Grable about your readiness to participate, please be in touch with her at Monica.Grable@mt.gov or (406) 444-6522. 

Creative Aging Training 2026

Since beginning our Creative Aging initiative in Montana in 2021, teaching artists across the state have taken us up on the opportunity to extend the possibilities of their work through professional development training in the field of Creative Aging. For those who haven’t yet had the chance, a fresh three-part opportunity is right around the corner!

Creative Aging Foundations Cohort Training is being offered free of charge and will take place virtually on Wednesdays: April 29th, May 6th and 13th, 2026 from 10 am - 12 pm MT.

Lifetime Arts’ Creative Aging Foundations: Cohort Training is a signature team-based learning experience—designed for professionals who want to deepen their skills and grow alongside peers. In this highly interactive, customized cohort training, you’ll build a shared language around creative aging while strengthening your facilitation and program design skills. Together with your cohort, you’ll explore practical tools, proven frameworks, and real-world strategies that prepare you to design and lead impactful, outcomes-driven creative aging programs that truly serve older adults in your community. 

You’ll receive a certificate of completion plus a free one-year membership to The Creative Aging Collaborative for continued learning and peer connection. 

Participants are expected to complete 20-30 minutes of prep work between sessions.

For more information, contact Monica Grable at (406) 444-6522 or Monica.Grable@mt.gov.

Registration instructions:  

Complete this registration form by April 15th, 2025 to attend this training. Upon submission, you will receive a confirmation email from Lifetime Arts which will include the Zoom link to attend all three training sessions.