Art has a way of bringing people together, and that's what's happening through our activities for seniors and 55+ at the Rotary Centre for the Arts (RCA) in the Cultural District of Downtown Kelowna. Inside the RCA and out in the community, our senior activities are building connections and encouraging active living through creativity. As we prepare for our Fall 2025 programming, we look forward to welcoming more people into our creative community.

Our senior activities are designed to be more than artmaking. They bring people together, encourage them to stay active and learn new things at any age, or experience level. From dance classes and peaceful sound baths to art classes and storytelling sessions, these programs welcome everyone.

What We Do at the RCA

At the RCA, we aim to build spaces where creativity and community can go hand in hand. Whether it's in our Dance Around the World class, creating handmade books, painting or finding peace through sound those who join us are part of something bigger than a class.

Throughout these activities, we've also found that people naturally experience wellness benefits that come with creative engagement. The movement in our dance classes improves cardiovascular health, helps with balance, flexibility and reduces the risk of falls. The creative problem-solving found in our art classes provides cognitive stimulation that can help slow mental decline and keep minds sharp. And on top of that, the creative process itself can help reduce stress, anxiety and depression.

This filters into everything we do, including our experienced artists and instructors. They understand that classes go beyond skill-building, and aim to create environments where people feel valued, supported, and excited to discover new aspects of themselves. The social connection in our group activities is just as important as the art itself. We asked one of our Book Covers and Arts participants for their feedback and the impact truly speaks for itself.

“Janice's expertise and patience created a welcoming environment where we explored various bookbinding techniques, including pamphlet stitch, glue binding, Japanese stab binding, and zine creation. Among these, learning the Coptic binding stood out as my favourite. What made the course even more special was Janice's flexibility in tailoring the schedule to our group's interests. If you've ever been curious about the art of bookbinding, I highly recommend this course, it's both informative and enjoyable!” – Shandra W.

RCA in the Community

Through partnerships with organizations like Cristalina PARC Retirement Living Kelowna, we bring senior and active 55+ programming directly to the Kelowna community. For this programming, we designed activities that included movement and programs like our Inner Landscape Sound Bath and our Sing for the Soul program led by certified music therapists that improves well-being and reduces stress through music and community connection. We recognize that not everyone can travel to the RCA but believe that everyone deserves access to activities that support well-being and these partnerships enable us to facilitate this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking Ahead

As we prepare for our Fall 2025 season, we're building upon the successes of our spring season programming.

Our activities for seniors and active 55+ continue to evolve based on feedback and community needs, but our core commitment remains unchanged: Provide quality, accessible, creative experiences that can foster community and enrich lives.

The research on the benefits of staying active and engaged as we age is clear, and at the RCA we offer accessible ways to do that through creativity, community and joy. Whether it's through gentle movement, art making, skill building or intergenerational projects people become part of a community that celebrates each other.

For information about Fall 2025 programming, schedules, and registration, contact Angela Roy Educational Program Coordinator at [email protected]. We also welcome volunteers who want to help support what we do at the RCA and be part of our creative community in different ways.

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