Valuing Older People Cultural Offer project (VOPCO)
BACKGROUND
 Set up in 2007, when the Valuing Older People team at Manchester City Council along
with Arts About Manchester (now the Audience Agency) and Library Theatre formed a
core group leading on attracting older people to the city’s arts/cultural offer.

The aims of the project have always been to strengthen links between older people and
the city’s cultural providers aiming to connect the world-class arts and culture in the city
centre to older people in Manchester.

There is currently a working group of 19 of the city’s cultural providers (listed below). And
a part-time VOPCO manager, Sherry de Wynter. This post is funded by an independent
charitable trust, the Baring Foundation which has invested in the arts and older people.
* Band on the Wall
* Chinese Arts Centre
* The Gallery of Costume
* The Library Theatre
* MMU Special Collections
* Manchester Museum
* Ordsall Hall
* Royal Exchange Theatre
* Whitworth Art Gallery
* Bridgewater Hall
* Cornerhouse
* Hallé orchestra
* Manchester Camerata
* Museum of Science & Industry
* Manchester Art Gallery
* People’s History Museum
* Salford Heritage Services
PROJECTS
 There are clear health, quality of life and other benefits of participating in arts and culture
and VOPCO support projects/initiatives that deliver this. Examples include:
Storybox (Library Theatre) which uses creative story-telling to stimulate memory) for Alzheimer’s
sufferers and their carers
Music in Mind (Manchester Camerata) uses original music composition to stimulate creativity
Coffee, Cake & Culture (Manchester Museum) a pilot project that seeks to engage older
vulnerable adults with the museums’ collections
Whitworth ipad app (Whitworth Art Gallery) a pilot project that works with older adults and uses
ipad apps to develop creative content using the gallery’s collections.
Hallé St Peter’s development this new rehearsal space for the orchestra will feature community
engagement activities and with VOPCO support an offer for older adults in the area

Partnerships with some of the city’s Housing Service Providers have led to some
initiatives that help some of the arts/cultural organisations to reach into communities they
wouldn’t normally engage with. Examples of this ‘mobile’ cultural offer include:
Museum Comes to You (Manchester Museum) an outreach service that brings boxes of
museum objects out into the community to stimulate interest in the museums’ collections
Mary Greg collection (Manchester Art Gallery) a project that takes sample objects from this
collection of everyday objects from past centuries into communities for facilitated sessions and
follow up visits to the gallery
CULTURE CHAMPIONS
This is an informal ‘ambassador’ role. While not volunteers, our Culture champions attend a
range of arts/culture events supported by VOPCO. In turn champions advocate for the cultural
offer. They represent a cross-section of society and a range of backgrounds. Some are active
volunteers and all are well-networked. A recent review of this scheme is now available.
For more information about any of the above, please contact Sherry de Wynter on 07775
627520.