Since its founding in 1990, SONGWRITING WORKS has been at the forefront of creativity in
aging and community building through song. More than 3000 elders and youth have
participated to date, composing upwards of 300 songs with Judith-Kate Friedman and
associates. International audiences have sampled their work via live performances,
publications, and award-winning recordings and films.
The SONGWRITING WORKS method was initially developed by Ms. Friedman during her California Arts Council artist-in-residency project at Artworks (now Consortium for Elders and Youth in the Arts) at the San Francisco (now Goldman) Institute on Aging. She later replicated the model with older adults in multi-site healthcare settings, intergenerational groups, youth (K-12), adults with intellectual disabilities, incarcerated women, and professionals in health and social services. All reported social, spiritual and tangible physical benefits.
In addition to working extensively with older adults across the physical and cognitive
spectrum, SONGWRITING WORKS now offers respite programs and trainings for
professional and family caregivers.
Ms. Friedman and associates also work closely with care providers and educators to use
SONGWRITING WORKS to address social issues. Projects designed to empower client
communities have included:
While the SONGWRITING WORKS experience emphasizes the collective creative process,
performances of the work lift participants’ voices even further.
Most workshops series are
designed to culminate in a public celebration performance or recital to which family,
colleagues, and the wider community can be invited.
Since 2004, in keeping with its mission to raise public awareness, SONGWRITING WORKS has produced select intergenerational events. These have included:
SONGWRITING WORKS operates internationally as an independent 501c3 non-profit
organization under the auspices of the Seeds Project. Its offices are in Port Townsend, WA.
AWARD-WINNING PROGRAMS & TRAINING: SONGWRITING WORKS is the recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Creativity and Aging in America grant (2009), the Blair J. Sadler International Healing Arts Award from the Society for the Arts in Healthcare (2008) and the MetLife Foundation/ American
Society on Aging MindAlert Award for Innovate Programs Enhancing Mental Fitness of
Older Adults (2007).
Judith-Kate Friedman and associates offer training to health and arts professionals across the United States.