An art-making program for people with dementia and their caregivers, OMA (Opening Minds through Art) is an award-winning, evidence-based, intergenerational art-making program for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurocognitive disorders.
Founded in 2007 at Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University, OMA is grounded in “person-centered” ethics, rather than disease-centered – in other words, OMA focuses on what people CAN do.
Our goal at The OMA Center is to help create a society that values older adults with dementia. We achieve this by building genuine friendships between people with dementia and volunteers as they engage in art-making. Additionally, we offer education, respite, and fellowship for caregivers. Our goals are achieved by:
Enroll a family member in The OMA Center for Fridays, March 22 - May 17 (no class on April 5), 10:30-11:30 am
Enroll a family member in The OMA Center for Saturdays, March 23 - May 18 (no class on April 6), 10:30-11:30 am
Enroll a family member in The OMA Center for Fridays, July 12 – August 16, 10:30-11:30 am
Enroll a family member in The OMA Center for Saturdays, July 13 - August 17, 10:30-11:30 am
Train to be an OMA Volunteer!
Register for our next volunteer training on May 20 and 22 via Zoom!
Register for our next volunteer training on May 18, 2:00-5:00 pm in person
Make a gift to support The OMA Center!
Visit our shop on Redbubble! The art featured was created by artists with dementia as part of our Opening Minds Through Art (OMA) program. From stickers to t-shirts - your purchase supports the continuation of this impactful program.
The Cultural Arts Center is on the move, reaching out and across the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico as well as the city of Richmond! Through workshops, special events, and classes, we are sharing our love of the visual and performing arts with people of all ages, cultures, and abilities.
Art Matters invites young people from preschool to high school to explore and create with paint, mosaics, pencils, paper mache, markers, pastels and more. These young artists are creating amazing and unique works of art using their minds, hearts, and creative energy.
Promoting mindful living and creative expression for adults of all ages and abilities, Artful Living offers the time and space to explore a new creative venture or to revisit favorite arts of the past. In bringing the arts to more convenient locations, we hope to make it easier for adults to indulge in creative expression and connect with other creative spirits.
In October of 2018 Hamilton Glass, Richmond Artist and Muralist, held a three-day workshop with 15 student artists at JRJDC to brainstorm and conceptualize a mural project for the JRJDC gym. Prior to this, Mr. Glass visited and met with the leadership at JRJDC to familiarize himself with the facility and its mission.By the end of the three-day workshop, the student artists had determined the concept and communicated their overall design wishes to Mr. Glass. He, in turn, took the artists’ concept and designed a mural for one wall in the gymnasium. The mural design was submitted and approved by the JRJDC leadership and the painting was scheduled. During the last week of November, Mr. Glass transferred the design to the gym wall and then worked with student artists to complete the mural. The mural was completed on Friday, November 30.
Girl Scout Brownie Troops are becoming regulars visitors to the CAC. Scavenger Hunts, pastel drawing and painting, collage creations ... we love sharing the galleries and art activities with the Girl Scouts!
In the midst of glue and paint and soil and water, the air was filled with excitement and the joy of planting and painting. We had a great time with parents and children of all ages in the Creative Pots and Plants program this spring. Clay pots were collaged and painted, seeds were planted and watered, and families left the program with spray bottles and future marigold gardens in hand!
Engaging students year-round with gallery tours, performance and visual arts programs, and summer school activities.
Thank you to BB&T for selecting the Art Matters PAL After School Program as a 2017 project recipient. 45 BB&T volunteers and 225 students built garden boxes together this spring. This means that 1375 pieces of wood were cut, 1800 screws were driven, and 225 boxes were sanded, built, and filled with soil, marigolds and radish seeds. Awesome project!!
Year-round "Art Matters" programming for the Henrico Police Athletic League Youth Program. During the school year, we visit three different PAL school sites once a week providing visual arts activities and classes. Every Friday during the summer months, PAL provides transportation to the CAC for up to 60 campers for our summer camp program.
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The CAC brings visual arts programming to five Friendship Café locations throughout the year in the Greater Richmond area.
In addition to providing visual arts classes for Lucy Corr's Assisted Living, Health Center, and Adult Day programs, the CAC partnered with Megan Keeton's The Arts of Aging to bring gardening and the arts together.
"Gardening with Grace," a 6-week program for residents in Lucy Corr's Memory Care facility, combined simple outdoor gardening with visual arts projects.
Seniors and pre-schoolers coming together for art and movement! We are so fortunate to have been invited to provide the visual arts component for this multi-generational event. Play It Forward is an annual event sponsored by a number of organizations in the Greater Richmond area: Family Lifeline, Senior Connections, Caremore, and Henrico County, to name a few.
An exciting team-building event with the Leadership Team of Richmond Memorial Health Foundation. Creativity was flowing as the team collaboratively produced a large acrylic painting that currently hangs in the RMHF office.
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A beautiful Spring day to be painting "en plein air" in the Walkerton Tavern Garden in Glen Allen. Our artist shared her easel and pastels with garden visitors of all ages.
Say hello to some of our PAL students who have graced the cover of our season brochures!
Meet the "cover girls"...
Aniyah A., Laburnum Elementary School
Aniyah W., Adams Elementary School
Chyna M., Harvey Elementary School
Why are you so passionate about art?
Chyna: I'm passionate about art because it's fun and you get to show your creativity. Art means I get to express my feelings and when I'm happy."a
Aniyah: "Art keeps me occupied and I enjoy it. It's a way to enjoy yourself and to help kids."a
Aniyah: It's fun to do and "Art makes me feel happy."
Faves:
Chyna: I like to make slime and play with my geckos.
Aniyah: flowers, self-portraits, animal sketching
Aniyah: painting, drawing, dancing, sketching
The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen relies upon the generosity of friends, corporations, foundations, the County of Henrico and its Board of Directors to provide first-rate programming to the greater Richmond community at affordable prices. The Center is the only regional facility to provide access to the performing, visual and literary arts through performances and classes. As a registered 501(c)3 organization, contributions to The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen are tax deductible to the extent of the law. Gifts of any amount increase the quantity and quality of artistic opportunities available to the community. Donations may be made by cash, securities or credit card and can be made in a single payment or in installments.
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