A Front-Row Seat to Creative Aging: My Visit to Wayne County Public Library
Liza Cucco • May 24, 2025
As someone who’s spent years advocating for arts education for older adults, I was moved to witness a program that not only works—but feels like it belongs.
Last month during National Library week, I had the joy of visiting Wayne County Public Library in Goldsboro, North Carolina—a place that has quietly and powerfully woven creative aging into the fabric of community life. As a North Carolina resident, I was especially excited to see creative aging work thriving right here in my home state. And as someone who’s spent years advocating for arts education for older adults, I was moved to witness a program that not only works—but feels like it belongs.
This visit wasn’t our first connection with the library. In 2023, we at Lifetime Arts partnered with Library Director Donna Phillips and her team to deliver training for staff and local teaching artists. With support from an IMLS grant, Wayne County Public Library piloted creative aging programming rooted in our model: sequential, skill-based arts instruction designed to support social connection, creative mastery, and joy for older adults.
Two years later, I wanted to see where that seed had grown—and it has grown beautifully.
A Program That Feels Like Home
Teaching Artist, Jewel, during her watercolor class.
From the moment I stepped into the watercolor painting class at the main library, I could feel the deep relationships that had formed. Classmates were deep in catching up with one another as they arrived. They traded color theory tips and cheered each other’s progress. Teaching artist, Jewel Sauls, facilitated a technical painting lesson that expertly wove in true moments of personal connection, supported by librarian Lou Rose.
One participant told me:
“This is my fourth creative aging class—I started with cell phone photography and moved through memoir writing, pottery, and now watercolor. I’ve learned so much. And I’ve made friends I never would have met.”
Another woman, who began painting during a period of intense grief after losing her husband and several close family members, described the program as a lifeline.
“This has been a really important part of my healing process. If this program hadn’t been here, I wouldn’t have come out of the house.”
These programs aren’t just opportunities to learn new skills—they’re invitations to reconnect with the world.
Quilts, Bunnies, and Boot-Stomps Build Community
What struck me most about Wayne County’s creative aging work is how fully it’s been integrated into community life. It’s not a standalone program—it’s a ripple effect.
In my hours of conversation with Lou, I heard the story of a quilting class that blossomed into an ongoing quilting group. They now make lap quilts for homebound residents, delivered alongside books through the library’s outreach program. I also learned about “Bunny Loves” — a project where older adults collaborate with youth to make soft toys. Every baby born at the local hospital receives a handmade bunny and a first book, along with a list of community resources for parents. These were just some examples. That kind of intergenerational connection is powerful. So is the partnership with a local dance studio, In Motion Entertainment, where I visited a country line dancing class. The instructor, Megan Lynn Casey, shared how much she looks forward to the class each week:
Teaching artist, Megan (front left), poses with her students.
“They come in so positive and ready to learn. I leave every time smiling.”
Library staff are deeply attuned to what their community wants and needs. They regularly survey participants, bring in community members as instructors, and think creatively about access—ensuring programs remain free and inclusive. Lou told me, “We’re bringing in people who never thought of themselves as teachers before. Now they’re thriving.”
It’s also clear that staff see this work as part of a broader mission. Director Donna Phillips shared:
“Libraries are for everyone. Creative aging aligns with our goal to support lifelong learning. And by keeping older adults engaged, we’re supporting their health and wellbeing, too.”
She’s right. And the evidence backs her up. Programs like these reduce isolation, support cognitive health, and foster purpose. They also help people see themselves—and each other—in new ways. One watercolor student put it best:
“At first, I didn’t think I could do this. But now I paint at home. I even get compliments on Facebook! I guess that makes me an artist.”
The Role of Federal Support
The week I visited was the week after the majority of Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grants across the country were terminated, including one funding one of Lifetime Arts largest creative aging projects. The success of this program is one of the reasons that the shift in priorities is so devastating.
None of this would have been possible without the initial investment from the IMLS. As Donna told me:
“The IMLS grant let us test this program and prove its value. That helped us secure continued support from our library foundation and programming budget. Now, we can keep growing.”
That’s the power of federal funding: it seeds innovation, builds capacity, and opens doors that stay open long after the initial grant ends. Wayne County’s success is a model other libraries across North Carolina—and beyond—can follow.
This Is What Creative Aging Looks Like—You Can Do It Too!
As I left the library, with my head full of stories and my own watercolor painting in my hand, I felt more hopeful than ever. This is what creative aging looks like: skillful, joyful, community-led, and deeply human. It’s happening in Wayne County because people believed in the potential of older adults—and took action to support it.
I can’t wait to see where they go next. And I hope more libraries across our state will take inspiration from Goldsboro’s example. Because here in North Carolina, we’re proving what’s possible when we invest in creativity at every age.
If you’re a library worker, teaching artist, or funder reading this: you can do creative aging too! You don’t need to start with a big plan; you can start with what you’ve got. Creative aging works everywhere—Lifetime Arts can help you figure out what will work for you.
