July 2025 Visionaries: A South Asian Arts and Ageing Counter Narrative
As we celebrate South Asian Heritage Month, it is a fitting moment to reflect on the lasting impact of a pivotal piece of work that continues to shape inclusive creative ageing practices today.
Four years ago, CADA (Creative Ageing Development Agency) commissioned a scoping report by Arti Prashar OBE and Elizabeth Lynch MBE to explore how creative work with and by older South Asian people could be better understood, supported, and celebrated. The report highlighted the contributions of visionary artists across a wide range of South Asian identities and experiences. It documented their creative journeys and shared examples of projects that connected heritage, community, and wellbeing.
Although the report was a snapshot in time, its findings and recommendations remain highly relevant. It offered essential insights into working with diaspora communities, and underscored the value of a holistic approach – one that centres culture, identity, and care in creative engagement with older people.
As we mark South Asian Heritage Month today, we are reminded of the ongoing need to uplift the voices of older South Asian artists and to recognise the unique role South Asian cultural organisations play in the UK’s creative landscape. The report called for more South Asian-led projects, and five years on, its call to action still resonates.
CADA continues to see this work as a foundation for future growth – encouraging new collaborations, deeper community engagement, and a more inclusive creative ageing movement that reflects the full richness of our society.
Visit South Asian Heritage Month to find out more about the awareness month and https://cadaengland.org/our-projects/ to find out more about the Visionaries Report.
Creative Ageing: Development & Agency 