In the town of Bordertown, South Australia, an exciting art project has brought children and elderly residents together again after being apart due to COVID-19. Before the pandemic, the Bordertown Primary School and the Charla Lodge aged care home used to collaborate on activities. However, they had to stop meeting in person because of health concerns. Recently, they rekindled their connection by creating and sharing art in the community.

The project, called the Intergenerational Art Trail, involved multiple schools and community centers. The children and elderly residents drew portraits of each other, painted abstract art, and created soft toys. The toys were based on the children’s imaginative drawings of monsters, which were brought to life by high school students. These creative works are now displayed in public areas around Bordertown, and people are encouraged to add their own portraits to the Walkway Gallery.

This project helped rebuild relationships and brought joy to the elderly residents, who felt shy at first but quickly warmed up to the children. According to Beck Upenieks, the lifestyle coordinator at Charla Lodge, these interactions greatly improved the well-being and happiness of the elderly participants. The project is also significant for Bordertown because it encourages everyone, including long-time residents and newcomers, to come together and celebrate their community through art.

Difficult words:

• Collaborate: to work together with others
• Portrait: a picture or drawing of a person
• Abstract: a style of art that does not show real objects, focusing on colors and shapes instead
• Well-being: the state of being healthy, happy, or comfortable

In Bordertown, a small rural town in South Australia, an art initiative has revitalized connections between generations after the disruption caused by COVID-19. Prior to the pandemic, the Bordertown Primary School and Charla Lodge aged care home maintained a close relationship, often collaborating on community projects. The pandemic’s restrictions, however, created a significant separation between the town’s young and elderly populations. Thanks to a new art project, the “Intergenerational Art Trail,” that relationship is once again flourishing.

Led by Emma Harkness, a teacher at Bordertown Primary School, the project encouraged children and aged care residents to engage in various creative endeavors, including portrait drawing, abstract painting, and soft toy crafting. High school students helped transform the imaginative drawings of young children into physical toys, which became a highlight of the project. The artworks, now displayed across the town and in the Walkway Gallery, aim to engage not only the participants but also the broader community. Residents are invited to contribute their own portraits to the growing exhibition, fostering an inclusive environment where all can express their creativity.

The emotional impact of this project cannot be understated. Initially hesitant, many of the elderly participants quickly embraced the opportunity to work with children again. For some, like 110-year-old Lorna Henstridge, and Rachel Joyce, a 90-year-old former teacher, the project revived feelings of joy and fulfillment. The sense of community this project brought was especially significant in a town like Bordertown, where a mix of long-term residents and migrants from the local workforce often struggle to connect. Art has thus become a medium for bridging these divides, contributing to a greater sense of unity in the town.

Difficult words:

• Revitalized: brought back to life or strength
• Endeavor: a serious effort or attempt to achieve something
• Flourishing: growing or developing in a healthy way
• Inclusive: open to everyone, without excluding any group