Designing Arts-Based Wellness Programming for Filipino Older Adults

DTC worked with FFA to design a culturally grounded program model that connects Filipino arts, identity, and creative expression with older-adult wellness. The initiative was structured around participatory workshops spanning dance and movement, culinary traditions, vocal arts and music, poetry and spoken expression, traditional and contemporary arts, and other culturally rooted creative activities.

The model recognizes that arts programming can create meaningful opportunities for social connection, creative expression, cultural memory, identity, and belonging—all important dimensions of healthy aging. By designing programming around active participation rather than passive cultural presentation, DTC helped FFA create experiences where older adults could engage with Filipino culture while building relationships and maintaining stronger connections to community.

The program framework also positioned FFA to connect its traditional arts and cultural mission with broader priorities around mental wellness, social isolation, healthy aging, and intergenerational cultural preservation, creating new opportunities for future programming, partnerships, and funding.