Travelling exhibition challenges misconceptions around dementia arrives in Cookstown

An exhibition challenging misconceptions around dementia is currently taking place at the Burnavon Arts and Cultural Centre in Cookstown.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Jan 2024, 10:50 BST
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‘Real Lives: The Art Of Living With Dementia’ will continue until Friday, January 26.

Entry is free and Dementia NI is hoping to change perceptions of what people with dementia can achieve and challenge the stigma around the condition.

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It features patchwork quilts created during an online project organised by Dementia NI and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, to help local people with dementia stay active during lockdown. Working with Arts Council art tutors, Dementia NI members were encouraged to make their own heirloom quilts which tell the story of their lives.

Dementia NI Members, from left, Davie McElhinney, Yvonne Thompson and Allison Batchelor share artworks challenging misconceptions about dementia. Credit: SubmittedDementia NI Members, from left, Davie McElhinney, Yvonne Thompson and Allison Batchelor share artworks challenging misconceptions about dementia. Credit: Submitted
Dementia NI Members, from left, Davie McElhinney, Yvonne Thompson and Allison Batchelor share artworks challenging misconceptions about dementia. Credit: Submitted
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It includes a quilt by Dementia NI member Yvonne Thompson, who lives in Newtownabbey. Yvonne’s vibrant quilt draws on her working days as a District Nursing Sister and depicts happy times with her family at their caravan in Castlerock.

“I really enjoyed working on this arts project,” says Yvonne. “My quilt shows the family caravan in Castlerock which has an important place in my heart. My family love to spend time there and it's where I holidayed with my parents as a child. I would love people to come away from this exhibition feeling that people with dementia can keep achieving things and learning new skills."

Dementia NI’s Empowerment Groups meet regularly. They are free of charge and anyone who has received a diagnosis and is in the early to middle stages of dementia may like to attend. For more info call 028 9693 1555 or email [email protected]

Related topics:Arts CouncilNewtownabbey