Dementia is not only about health, care and support. What also matters is whether people affected can shape their lives autonomously and participate in society on an equal footing. Their dignity, rights and perspectives must be at the center. People with dementia are covered by the human rights framework of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The World Health Organization (WHO) also emphasizes their rights and the importance of an inclusive society.

Around 170,000 people in Austria currently live with dementia; by 2050, this number is expected to rise to more than 290,000 (Austrian Dementia Report 2025). Against this background, it is becoming increasingly important to consider how society addresses the still frequently tabooed topic and how self-determination, non-discrimination and equal participation can be made possible in practice.

Art Opens Up New Ways of Connecting

Artistic approaches can open up spaces, particularly when familiar forms of communication and social participation change. Music, movement, visual art, creative writing and other artistic and creative forms offer different ways of expressing oneself, meeting others and connecting with one another.

Research on participatory arts programmes for people with dementia shows that they can foster social relationships and a sense of belonging while making the existing abilities of people with dementia visible. The focus is less on the finished artwork than on the creative process itself: people can contribute, express themselves and experience being seen and valued as individuals. The person, in their dignity, is at the center – not the diagnosis.

“Anchor Points”: Art and Participation in the Northern Waldviertel

This is where the “Anchor Points” project comes in. The project is led by the LBG Open Innovation in Science Center (LBG OIS Center) and implemented together with the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights (LBI-GMR). As a practice partner, the Nachbarschaftskultur association contributes local expertise and networks and supports the participatory implementation on the ground.

Through a participatory and co-creative process, “Anchor Points” develops and tests artistic and creative practices for addressing dementia in rural areas. People with dementia and their relatives are involved alongside people from the region, local and regional partners, associations, artists, municipal representatives, the Community Nurse and the LBI-GMR. Their different experiences and perspectives feed into the development and testing of the activities.

An initial series of workshops was piloted and further developed in June 2026. Since September, a second workshop series has been taking place: drawing and creative activities in Sallingberg, music and group singing in Neupölla, and movement and dance in Waldenstein. Four workshops are held at each location.

How Music Brings People Together

The recent music workshop in Neupölla showed how directly art and encounters can bring people together. Accompanied by an accordion, participants sang familiar folk and popular songs, laughed and clapped together. The music created moments of connection, joy and plenty of humor.

During the coffee break, participants started talking to one another, got to know each other better and exchanged experiences. The positive atmosphere was still palpable at the end: many stayed together longer and expressed a wish to return.

Participation Means More Than Being There

Participation means more than simply being present at an activity. It means being able to contribute one’s own interests and abilities and to be recognized as an equal part of society.

Creative spaces for encounter can help make such participation tangible and, in doing so, bring human rights to life in everyday settings.

The experiences from developing, piloting and reflecting on the activities are also intended to extend beyond the individual workshops. The artistic and creative practices tested through the project, together with its key findings, will therefore be compiled in a practical handbook. It will support municipalities in implementing and further developing similar inclusive activities on a sustainable basis.

Overview of upcoming “Anchorpoints” Workshops: