The Initial Ask

Denver Art Museum (DAM) contracted Aging Dynamics to facilitate three in-person listening sessions in 2020. The goal was to gather input on how people engage with the art museum and what barriers prevent older adults from visiting the DAM more often and/or utilizing its online programming.

The Pivot

When COVID-19 lockdowns prevented in-person sessions, the DAM shifted many programs to a virtual format. Aging Dynamics designed and facilitated a series of online focus groups with diverse older adults to obtain qualitative data about barriers to access. We also sourced ideas for how to stay connected when physically distanced.

Our Approach

• Align research objectives with the DAM’s overall programmatic vision and goals to clarify how data would be used in both short and long-term tactics

• Design, conduct, and synthesize feedback from four community listening sessions and follow-up surveys

• Perform outreach and recruit older adults ages 50+ from diverse stakeholder groups including kinship caregivers, recently retired and still employed persons, residents from Metro Denver and beyond, and more

Key Deliverables

• A clear understanding of barriers and strategic opportunities for improvement

• Methods to collaborate across internal departments to expand existing family and adult programming & offer more robust multi-generational experiences

• Stronger relationships with key community partners