Florence Thomas Art School partners with aging services locations (Generations Ashe and Forest Ridge Assisted Living) to bring art engagement workshops to older adults in Ashe County. Professional teaching artists and Florence Thomas Art School staff lead interactive creative workshops to provide vital opportunities for social connection and self expression that combat social isolation as we age. This program was piloted in 2023 with funding from the North Carolina Arts Council; the program was relaunched in 2025.

Creative aging refers to research-driven art-based programs that inspire creativity and joy, promote vital social connections, and preserve agency and dignity for older adults. Creative aging programs support the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well-being of older adults by engaging them (and their care partners) in interactive art experiences led by trained educators or professional teaching artists.

Access to art helps us in every stage of life. Art provides us with ways to connect with one another, deepen our understanding of the world, and improve our self-esteem. Bringing creative aging programs to Ashe County helps combat views of aging as a wholly negative experience and aligns with our vision of a community where art experiences are accessible to all.