The Irish Dementia Working Group (IDWG) is an advocacy group for people living with dementia that is supported by The Alzheimer Society of Ireland. In the first half of June, the IDWG had the opportunity to work with the Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s national theatre. The Abbey Theatre put out a call, to work with communities who felt marginalised and silenced, to take part in their 5×5 development series. These projects received five days’ worth of space, technical assistance and EUR 5,000 to help in the development of a theatre piece.
The members of the IDWG know dementia is a topic which has inspired many artists in recent years, and have observed theatres, film-makers, visual artists and writers responding to this condition. Now, though, they wanted their own voices to be heard, by creating their own work, based on the lived-experience of dementia. They want to lift the lid on the complex realities of cognitive impairment. During their week at the National Theatre, members of the IDWG participated in a series of workshops, facilitated by theatre producers Bow Productions, about issues which matter to them. The goal was to create a theatre piece which reflects the voice of people living with dementia.
Watch this space, as the week’s events were recorded and will be available to share in the near future.
