Keep Well campaign to bring music to Care Homes

Friday January 29, 2021
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A new campaign is aiming to bring some musical joy to Donegal care homes.

As part of the Government’s KEEP WELL Campaign, Donegal County Council Arts Service and the Donegal Age Friendly Programme is seeking to recruit a panel of experienced musicians, singers and entertainers to provide a series of music, song and dance performances for residents of the county’s long stay Care Homes, over the coming months.

The project continues the engagement with older people by Donegal County Council, through the Culture Division and the Age Friendly Programme, since the start of the current Covid 19 public health restrictions. During 2020, care and support packs were delivered to older people and Christmas care packs were provided by the Council to Care Home residents. The current initiative will allow for an element of entertainment and celebration by residents, at a time when the restrictions are still having a negative impact on their lives.

In consultations with the Care Homes, many of the residents expressed a particular likeness for Irish Traditional and for Country music, so the series will be seeking to respond imaginatively to that preference, as well as catering for other musical tastes and forms of entertainment.  The Care Home presentations will be of the highest professional standards and will be delivered in a warm, informal style to facilitate maximum engagement between performers and audience.

In view of the ongoing and envisaged Covid 19 restrictions and protocols around gatherings of people and social distancing, the programme will be focused on engaging solo artists and small duo and trio ensembles. The performances may take place indoors or outdoors, as the ongoing Covid 19 situation dictates.

Performers interested in being considered for inclusion on the panel, can request a copy of the Brief to Performers and an Expression of Interest Form, by emailing their request to Donegal County Council Arts Service: Email: traolach@donegalcoco.ie  Completed Expression of Interest Forms must be returned to Donegal County Council Arts Service by 4.00pm on Wednesday, February 10th.

The KEEP WELL campaign is brought to you with thanks to Healthy Ireland, an initiative of the Government of Ireland, with funding from the Healthy Ireland Fund and the Sláintecare fund, delivered by Pobal.

The Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny is proudly funded by Donegal County Council and Arts Council Ireland.