Indiana Arts Commission accepting applications for Creative Aging Training Program for artists

The Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) announced last week that it is accepting applications for the Lifelong Arts Indiana Teaching Artist Training.

Lifelong Arts Indiana is a creative aging initiative of the Indiana Arts Commission focused on providing creative programming for older adults to improve quality of life and combat social isolation and loneliness.

The five-part virtual training series will be delivered synchronously on Zoom by Prismatic Creative Aging, with instructors Stephanie Haines and Dr. Jon Kay. The program is designed for teaching artists seeking to expand their careers and grow their skills in facilitating meaningful creative aging programs for older adults in Indiana. The training is free to those accepted into the cohort.

The training dates and topics are as follows (all times are 4 to 6 p.m.):

• Tuesday, Oct. 13: Foundations of Creative Aging
• Thursday, Oct. 15: Designing Lessons with the Lifelong Arts Indiana Model
• Tuesday, Oct. 20: Arts and Aging Service Provider Partnership Skills
• Thursday, Oct. 22: Designing Accessible Programming
• Friday, Oct. 23: Planning, Practice and Next Steps

Applicants to the program must commit to attending all virtual sessions scheduled for the training. Those who complete the training will be added to the Lifelong Arts Indiana roster of trained artists. This listing will be used to connect art and aging service provider organizations with trained artists for future creative aging grants offered through the IAC.

In 2025, the IAC, in partnership with the Center for Aging & Community at the University of Indianapolis, released research on the IAC’s Lifelong Arts Indiana programming. According to the research, the Lifelong Arts Indiana programming improved the mental health of older adults, created meaningful employment opportunities for artists, and created sustainable community partnerships. In early 2026, the IAC published a toolkit, “Lifelong Arts Indiana: How To Implement a Successful Creative Aging Program,” based on the research-backed model. The Teaching Artist Training is a continuation of this work.

Applications for the Lifelong Arts Indiana Teaching Artist Training will close on Tuesday, Sept. 1. Click here to learn more about the Lifelong Arts Indiana program, and click here to access the guidelines for the training program.