Oklahoma Creative Aging Initiative

Creative aging programs are happening in communities across Oklahoma, offering older adults opportunities to explore creativity, learn new skills, build connections, and experience the many benefits of participation in the arts. The programs featured here represent just a few of the many creative aging offerings available throughout the state.

Program details, schedules, availability, and registration processes vary by organization. Please contact the individual organization directly for the most current information about upcoming classes, performances, workshops, accessibility options, and how to participate. 

To suggest a program for this list, please email our Arts Learning in Communities Director, Erika Wilhite.

Ada

Irving Recreation Center
Program: Creative Aging Arts Program
Art Form: Multi-Arts

Irving Recreation Center offers arts learning opportunities for older adults that promote creativity, lifelong learning, and social connection. Professional teaching artists lead sequential classes that encourage participants to develop new skills while enjoying the benefits of creating art in a supportive community setting.

Broken Arrow

Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center
Program: Main Street Players
Art Form: Theatre

Main Street Players is a community theatre program of the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center that provides adults with opportunities to participate in theatrical productions and develop performance skills. Participants work alongside directors and fellow performers to bring live theatre to the community while fostering creativity, confidence, and connection through the performing arts. 

Norman

Cimarron Opera
Program: Creative Aging Opera Workshops
Art Form: Music

Cimarron Opera offers engaging music experiences that introduce older adults to opera through singing, storytelling, and performance. Programs encourage creativity, social engagement, and lifelong appreciation of vocal music.

Firehouse Art Center
Program: Creative Aging Classes
Art Form: Visual Arts

The Firehouse Art Center provides hands-on visual arts classes for older adults in a welcoming studio environment. Participants explore new artistic techniques while building creative confidence and community connections.

Sooner Theatre
Program: Creative Aging Theatre Program
Art Form: Theatre

Sooner Theatre provides theatre-based learning experiences that encourage older adults to explore acting, storytelling, music, and performance in an engaging and supportive environment.

Oklahoma City

Bring Back the Music (Spencer)
Program: Bring Back the Music
Art Form: Music

Bring Back the Music engages older adults through participatory music experiences that celebrate lifelong musical traditions. Programs encourage memory, creativity, and meaningful social connections through shared music-making.

Healthy Living OKC
Program: Creative Aging Arts Programming
Art Form: Multi-Arts

Healthy Living OKC offers creative experiences that complement its wellness programming for older adults. Through partnerships with artists and arts organizations, participants explore visual art, music, movement, and other creative activities that support healthy aging.

Northeast Health & Wellness Center
Program: Creative Aging Arts Programming
Art Form: Multi-Arts

The Northeast Health & Wellness Center provides arts programming that complements its health and wellness services for older adults. Creative activities foster lifelong learning, personal expression, and meaningful social engagement.

Oklahoma City Museum of Art
Program: Making Memories
Art Form: Visual Arts

Making Memories offers gallery conversations and hands-on artmaking experiences for individuals living with dementia and their care partners. The program creates opportunities for creativity, conversation, and shared discovery in a welcoming museum setting.

Oklahoma Contemporary
Program: Lifelong Learning
Art Form: Contemporary Arts

Oklahoma Contemporary offers studio classes and creative workshops that encourage older adults to explore contemporary art practices while building skills, confidence, and community.

Oklahoma Senior Follies
Program: Oklahoma Senior Follies
Art Form: Musical Theatre

Oklahoma Senior Follies is a nonprofit organization that celebrates the talents of adults age 55 and older through annual musical revues featuring singing, dancing, comedy, and live performance. The organization promotes active aging by providing opportunities for older adults to perform, build friendships, and raise funds that support senior-focused services across Oklahoma.

Painted Sky Opera
Program: Creative Aging Opera Program
Art Form: Music

Painted Sky Opera brings professional vocal artists into community settings where older adults can experience opera through performances, discussion, and participatory music activities.

Pawhuska

ArtMaker
Program: Creative Aging Arts Workshops
Art Form: Visual Arts and Ballet

ArtMaker offers professionally led visual arts and dance workshops designed specifically for older adults. Participants explore a variety of artistic techniques while enjoying opportunities for creative expression, continued learning, and social connection.

Ponca City

Ponca City Arts & Humanities Council
Program: Creative Aging Arts Classes
Art Form: Multi-Arts

The Ponca City Arts & Humanities Council provides arts learning opportunities that encourage older adults to discover new artistic interests, strengthen creative skills, and connect with others through the arts.

Sapulpa

Sapulpa Arts & Humanities
Program: ARTeries
Art Form: Visual Arts

ARTeries is a weekly visual arts program that brings older adults together to create artwork, learn new techniques, and build friendships. The program emphasizes creativity, lifelong learning, and the joy of making art in a supportive community setting.

Tulsa

Fab Lab Tulsa
Program: Creative Aging Technology Workshops
Art Form: Digital Arts/Maker Education

Fab Lab Tulsa introduces older adults to creative technologies through hands-on workshops in digital design and fabrication. Participants discover new ways to express their creativity while learning practical technology skills.

Life Senior Services
Program: Arts & Wellness Programs
Art Form: Multi-Arts

Life Senior Services offers a variety of creative programs that encourage older adults to stay active, engaged, and connected through arts experiences that support overall wellbeing.

Philbrook Museum of Art
Program: Creative Aging Programs
Art Form: Visual Arts

Philbrook Museum of Art provides engaging gallery experiences and studio workshops that inspire creativity, conversation, and lifelong learning for older adults.

Tulsa Opera
Program: Songs by Heart
Art Form: Music

Songs by Heart is an interactive music program for individuals living with dementia and their care partners. Professional artists lead participants through singing, movement, and shared musical experiences that encourage connection, spark memories, and support wellbeing.

Tulsa Performing Arts Center
Program: Community Engagement
Art Form: Performing Arts

Tulsa Performing Arts Center partners with local arts organizations to provide performances and arts engagement opportunities that make the performing arts more accessible to older adults throughout the community.

Interested in learning more about creative aging? Check out a few of the resources below:

Oklahoma Arts and the Military Grants – funding available from the Oklahoma Arts Council to support arts programs serving military-connected individuals in our state.

Oklahoma Teaching Artist Roster – a vetted resource list of teaching artists managed by the Oklahoma Arts Council available for connecting professional teaching artists with learners of all ages in schools and communities throughout the state.

Oklahoma Arts Council YouTube – view recorded webinars related to creative aging featuring national expert presenters and more

Aging Our Way – a collaborative effort led by Oklahoma Human Service to create a comprehensive plan to prepare the state for an impending—and significant—demographic shift.

Alzheimer’s Music Project – works to improve the quality of life for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia by providing a compact mp3 player and a personalized music playlist of their most beloved songs and artists.

Community Arts Learning Grants – funding available from the Oklahoma Arts Council to support creative aging programs statewide.

Creative Aging Foundations – a free, self-paced online course by Lifetime Arts designed for institutions and individuals seeking to run successful, participatory artmaking programming for older adults. The course serves as a guide for planning programs and developing the necessary partnerships to support cross-sector creative aging work.

Creative Aging Strategy Sampler – features research and examples of model programs outlined by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies that can inspire you as you create your own creating aging programs.

Dances for PD – an award-winning program offering specialized dance classes to people with Parkinson’s disease.

Gaining Momentum: A Frameworks Communications Toolkit – a resource for the field of aging to help build a better understanding of what it takes to create a more age-integrated society. This will support your marketing efforts and program recruitment.

Lifetime Arts – a national leading organization in creative aging program development that catalyzes and connects people, funding, practical strategies, and bold ideas necessary to embrace older adults as creative and social learners.

Music and Memory – a program to support people in nursing homes and other care organizations who suffer from a wide range of cognitive and physical challenges to find renewed meaning and connection in their lives through the gift of personalized music.

National Center to Reframe Aging –  a source for proven communication strategies and tools to effectively frame aging issues.

OU Medicine Tulsa Arts to Enhance Patient Care – an academic medical example of arts integration in health professions education, emphasizing observation, empathy, patient experience, and whole-person care.

Old School Clearinghouse – an index of resources to educate people about ageism.

Opening Minds Through Art – a course about intergenerational arts-based programming, showing benefits for both older adults living with dementia and younger adults who serve as volunteers. Learn how to better engage and support the creative process of people living with dementia through an example case study.

National Organization for Arts in Health (NOAH) – the leading U.S. field organization offering standards, ethics, professional development, convening, and practice-based resources for arts in health.

The Creativity and Aging Study – a study by Dr. Gene Cohen about the importance of professionally conducted cultural programs for older adults. Highlights powerful data creative aging program providers can share with partners and stakeholders about the importance.

Timeslips – a creative storytelling program for people with dementia that can be learned and used by teaching artists, caregivers, and aging service providers.

Vital and Vibrant Creative Aging Toolkit – from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, this toolkit is available to those who want to champion and implement creative aging programs. It can help you make the case, build the partnerships, and launch the programs that help older adults thrive.