Vaughan Celebrates Artistic and Culinary Skills of its Seniors
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The City of Vaughan celebrated the talents of its New Horizons for Seniors Art and Cultural Cooking Program participants with an exhibition of their artwork and cuisine at Vaughan City Hall on Thursday, June 6. Festivities included a sampling of South Asian, Italian and Chinese inspired dishes, as well as acrylic, oil, pastel and ink drawing media displays. There was an unveiling of a collaborative “City of the Future” mural created by the participants and instructors of the program depicting their vision of Vaughan’s future.
Launched in April 2012, the New Horizons for Seniors Art and Cultural Cooking Program was developed by the City’s Recreation and Culture Department in collaboration with the Elspeth Heyworth Centre for Women. The program was established through a federal grant from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program.
The New Horizons for Seniors Art and Cultural Cooking Program consisted of free weekly workshops held at Vaughan community centres and the Blue Willow Activity Centre. The program is designed to engage seniors in creative art projects, cultural food preparation and to provide a supportive social outlet along with an opportunity to learn from one another. Classes were facilitated by local artists offering specialized instruction in various artistic techniques, and cooking classes focused on ethnic cuisine, baking and cake decorating.
The federal New Horizons for Seniors Program supports projects inspired to make a difference in the lives of others by encouraging social engagement and the inclusion of seniors to enhance positive life experiences. Projects include volunteerism, development of urban gardens, providing mentoring opportunities, and initiating abuse awareness programming. Since 2004, the program has helped educate and encourage diversity and multiculturalism through preserving and promoting the sharing of traditions.
For information about the New Horizons for Seniors Art and Cultural Cooking Program contact Mirella Tersigni, Cultural and Community Development Coordinator at 905.832.8500 ext. 8459 or via email at mirella.tersigni@vaughan.ca.
Some of the art on display at Vaughan City Hall.
The collaborative piece, City of the Future, was created by participants of the program.