The Art Engager Designing person-centred museum experiences for people living with dementia
In this episode, Claire Bown is joined by Laurie Kilgour Walsh, Head of Programs and Learning at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, to explore what it takes to create meaningful, person-centred museum experiences with and for people living with dementia.
Our conversation centres on Artful Moments, a gallery-based, small-group programme for people living with dementia and their care partners. Based at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, the programme supports shared experiences, connection, and wellbeing through guided engagement with artworks.
In this episode, we talk about:
- What Artful Moments is and how the programme was developed in collaboration with healthcare partners
- How assumptions shifted as the work developed, and what has helped sustain the work over time.
- What person-centred practice looks like in programme design and in the moment as a facilitator
- Planning with care while staying responsive to participants during each session
- Why success in this work is understood through connection and wellbeing rather than traditional learning outcomes
- What an Artful Moments session looks like in practice, from first communication and arrival to gallery conversations, making activities, and leaving the museum
- Why attention to the whole visit experience really matters
A great listen if you are developing or evolving programmes for people living with dementia, or are interested in how dementia-inclusive practice can inform everyday museum engagement and deepen your approach to inclusion, pacing, and person-centred facilitation.
Laurie is also the co-author of Artful Moments: Building Meaningful Museum Experiences for People Living with Dementia, which is discussed throughout the episode.
The Art Engager is written and presented by Claire Bown. Editing is by Matt Jacobs and Claire Bown. Music by Richard Bown. Support on Patreon
Episode Links
Art Gallery of Hamilton website: www.artgalleryofhamilton.com
Artful Moments eLearning site: www.artfulmoments.ca
A link to the book - Artful Moments: Building Meaningful Museum Experiences for People Living with Dementia : https://www.bloomsbury.com/ca/artful-moments-9781538195420/
Laurie's two favourite videos from the website:
Janis’s Story https://vimeo.com/801998446/77939bc3d0
Rosemary's story: https://vimeo.com/809930852/fb94d13a5d
Also:
An article about virtual programs (2022) https://www.artgalleryofhamilton.com/artful-moments-fostering/
A lovely review of the website by Dementia Trust (2024): https://dementiatrust.org/news-and-views/25/2/2025/review-artful-moments
Artful Moments also included in Chapter 4 of this book (2024): https://www.intellectbooks.com/art-education-in-canadian-museums
An article on our early work: Artful Moments: A framework for successful engagement in an arts-based programme for persons in the middle to late stages of dementia (2019) by Janis Humphrey, Maureen Montemuro, Esther Coker, Laurie Kilgour-Walsh, Katherine Moros, Carmen Murray, Shannon Stanners DOI: 10.1177/1471301217744025
Show Links
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