On 22 September, the “Dementia Openness Forum” brought together people living with dementia, family members and carers, cultural, health and social care professionals, practitioners and academics to explore how to reduce stigma and create greater opportunities for people living with dementia to participate in cultural and community life.
The forum was organised by Ieva Petkutė (pictured), founder of the association Dementia Lithuania and initiator of TADAM, the Network of Dementia-Friendly Museums, together with Social Art Projects. TADAM aims to support cultural institutions in creating more accessible and inclusive environments for people living with dementia.
A key focus was the commitment of Lithuania’s leading museums to the network. Dr Arūnas Gelūnas, Director General of the Lithuanian National Museum of Art, Milda Gembickienė, Deputy Director General of the Lithuanian National Museum, and Daina Kamarauskienė, Deputy Director General for Museum Activities at the National M. K. Čiurlionis Museum of Art, confirmed their intention to participate in TADAM. The network aims to strengthen museum staff competences, improve access to cultural services, develop new programmes and foster cooperation between museums, the dementia community, and health and social care sectors.
The role of the arts was also central to the Forum. Participants took part in creative workshops designed to encourage active listening, explore people’s needs and build safer and more meaningful relationships through creative experience. The event concluded with a dance performance by Vaiva Paukštė, inspired by the experience of a family caring for a person living with dementia.
The closing discussion returned to the lived experiences of people living with dementia and their families. Professor Jonas Ruškus emphasised the importance of making these experiences visible in public life: “The more we see people’s stories and real experiences in the public sphere, the more we will see that dementia is part of human diversity.” Mida Vengeliauskaitė, who cares for her husband living with dementia, closed the Forum with a message about finding hope, meaning and possibilities for living fully despite difficult circumstances.
The Forum was part of Dementia Openness Days 2026 which sought to promote a more open understanding of dementia and highlight culture as a means of creating more inclusive communities. The main supporter of the programme was Eli Lilly and Company.
