Overview
Established in 2020, Creative Minds is a community arts for brain health initiative in San Francisco. This unique collaboration between the UCSF MAC Community Outreach Program and Atlantic Fellows at GBHI engages older adults in underserved and underrepresented neighborhoods through photography, art, storytelling, movement, and craft-making. Creative Minds partners with community centers and clinics throughout the city to incorporate brain health education and offer these creative experiences informed by the cultural and linguistic needs of our community members.
Project Details
In response to an open call for proposals, Creative Minds was established in 2020 through the Dignity Fund at the Department of Aging Services. Atlantic Fellows at GBHI collaborated with Dr. Serggio Lanata and the MAC COP to develop creative experiences of art, theatre, and craft-making to engage community members living in some of San Francisco’s most vulnerable neighborhoods.
Overcoming challenges imposed by the COVID-19 Pandemic, Creative Minds pivoted programming to a virtual space in May of 2020, spearheading the delivery of brain health education and creative workshops virtually. New projects have been developed that leverage this virtual expertise to expand opportunities for SF community members, including photography, movement, and storytelling through art.
A sampling of virtual exhibitions is available here:
https://www.kunstmatrix.com/en/creative-minds-community-arts-for-brain-health-initiative
For the best viewing experience, we suggest selecting “View Guided Tour” with your device’s sound “on” once you have entered an exhibition hall.
Funding
This program serving the community is partially funded by the City of San Francisco's Department of Disability and Aging Services. It is also funded by the UCSF Memory and Aging Center and GBHI.



Members involved
Gallery
Team members gather at an outreach tour
Team members listen at an outreach tour

Team members gather at an outreach event

Creative Minds launch event