“Moments of new discovery and joy. A creative antidote” Ronald’s experiences of Arts for Dementia
Posted: 14th July 2026Ronald Amanze is a poet, musician and music producer, and lives with dementia. He is a Trustee of Arts for Dementia, and attends our programmes. This is his story.
Firstly I would like to applaud and thank all the Arts for Dementia facilitators and support staff and volunteers.
Whenever I find myself in the middle of an emotional crisis, an irresolvable debate with life, or feeling anxious and overwhelmed, I often find myself turning towards art.
Sometimes it is poetry. Sometimes it is music. Sometimes it is dance.
Sometimes it is the simple act of placing a brush in my hand and allowing colour to speak.
I often wondered why art has become such a valuable place in my life. Perhaps it is because art does not interrogate Ronald.
It does not question why we feel the way we do.
It does not judge what one remembers or what we one struggles with or forgets. It simply invites one to be them selves.
That is what the Arts for Dementia programmes have given me.
They have become more than creative activities. They have become moments of new discovery and joy. They are a creative antidote.
Like a box of smiles waiting to be opened.
Through the different workshops I have attended, I have discovered many ways of expressing myself. Each form of art offers something different. Music can carry emotions that words struggle to find. Dance can allow the body to tell a story. Poetry can give shape to thoughts that have been waiting quietly in the background. Painting can turn feelings into colour and place them somewhere outside ourselves.
These experiences have reminded me that creativity is not dependent on having a perfect circumstances. Creativity comes from curiosity, imagination and the willingness to explore.
Living with a brain injury and a diagnosis of dementia has changed many aspects of my life. There are times when memory, concentration and confidence can feel uncertain. But the Arts for Dementia workshops have shown me that there are still many ways to communicate, connect and create.
Recently, I attended a spray paint workshop. I put on my apron, picked up a spray can and stood before a blank canvas.
I attended by choice. Then I wondered:
- Did the canvas?
- What does a canvas feel when the first spray touches its surface?
- Does it resist the unexpected change, or does it understand that transformation is the reason it exists
Perhaps we are not so different.
The canvas receives every layer of colour. It does not complain about the first spray or worry about what comes next. It allows the process to unfold.
Maybe we can learn from that.
The painting is not created in one perfect moment. It develops through layers, through surprises, through choices and accidents that become part of the final story.
That is how I feel about my journey with Arts for Dementia.
Every workshop, every creative experience, every conversation and every moment of laughter has added another layer.
The Arts for Dementia programmes have not taken away the challenges of living with dementia, but they have given me something equally important, a way to meet those challenges with creativity, curiosity and hope.
They have reminded me that I am not defined only by
A dementia diagnosis, more assumptions and stigma.
I am also defined by what I continue to create.
For me, art is not simply something I attend.
It is something I experience.
It is music captured in colour.
It is emotion framed on canvas.
It is a reminder that even when life changes, the human spirit continues to find new ways to express itself.
And sometimes, when life feels too heavy to carry alone, art quietly can some times carry you.
Would you like to join one of our programmes?
Find out what we have coming up and how to get in touch with us here.
