This report sees the Baring Foundation and the Campaign to End Loneliness come together to promote the case for the arts as a powerful tool to tackle the scourge of loneliness among older people. It is intended to be relevant to a wide range people who work with older people: commissioners of health and social care services; members of health and wellbeing boards; managers running residential and day care centres; artists and arts organisations.

It begins with a short essay looking at the scale and impact of loneliness among older people which argues that the arts are under appreciated as a means to tackle the problem. It concludes with some practical actions for this activity to be increased and a list of resources. The majority of this report, and the most important part of it, is an appended series of ten case studies drawn from some of the arts organisations currently funded by the Baring Foundation. These illustrate some of the many ways in which the arts can make a difference: in rural locations or in the inner city, in a residential care home, a community or an arts venue, through reinventing the tradition of the tea dance for the 21st century or in a major new festival.

Cutler, D. (2012). Tackling loneliness in Older Age – The Role of the Arts.UK: The Baring Foundation.