Lincoln Center Moments: Advancing Dementia-Inclusive Programs

The Partner: Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Lincoln Center Moments is a flagship program of the Accessibility Department at Lincoln Center. It offers free, relaxed performances and arts-based workshops specially designed for individuals with dementia and their caregivers. Rooted in the belief that high-quality cultural experiences should be accessible to all, the program brings the talents of Lincoln Center’s resident organizations—such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Opera, and the New York City Ballet—into a welcoming environment where participants are free to engage in their own way. Each session includes a live or virtual performance followed by an interactive, arts-based workshop facilitated by co-teams of music therapists and teaching artists.

A short video (2:30) showcasing the impact of the Lincoln Center Moments program.

The Challenge

After eight years of delivering Lincoln Center Moments, the team sought to strengthen their program by integrating creative aging best practices. While they had a strong foundation—grounded in dementia-friendly practices and meaningful programming—they wanted to sharpen their approach to working with older adults as learners, enhance care partner engagement, and ensure facilitators were equipped with tools that aligned with their mission.

They approached Lifetime Arts not only to optimize their current program, but also to help them codify their approach into a replicable model that could train new facilitators and inspire other institutions. Additionally, the team wanted to strengthen communication between leadership and facilitators, clarify learning goals, and ensure the experience was impactful for all participants—including caregivers, many of whom are older adults themselves.

Our Approach

Lifetime Arts began with deep listening. Through extensive consultation with Lincoln Center Moments’ leadership, in-person and virtual observations of performances and workshops, and facilitated check-ins with facilitators, we built a 360° understanding of the program’s values, structure, and needs.

Our support included:

Professional Development: Training for facilitators—music therapists and teaching artists—as well as the Lincoln Center Moments staff and support team, rooted in creative aging best practices and older adult learning principles.
Program Design Guidance: Helping refine the workshop format to focus the scope, promote meaningful connection, and clarify facilitator roles—making sessions more spacious, accessible, and consistent.
Collaborative Change Management: Acting as a bridge between leadership and facilitators to support feedback loops, align program goals, and ensure proposed changes were both feasible and mission-driven.
Resource Development: Co-creating a Field Guide that distilled all findings, tools, and recommendations into a publicly shareable resource, filling a critical gap in dementia-inclusive programming within the performing arts.

At every step, we approached the work not as outside experts imposing a model, but as strategic allies supporting Lincoln Center’s own vision and creative leadership.

The Outcome

Together, we helped Lincoln Center Moments evolve into a stronger, more sustainable, and more inclusive program.

Key outcomes included:

Simplified and Strengthened Workshops: By narrowing each session to two art forms and focusing on creative goals, facilitators were able to build deeper connection and engagement in just one hour.
Clearer Roles and Alignment: Facilitators gained clarity on how their contributions supported the program’s pillars, improving both confidence and consistency across sessions.
Enhanced Social Connection: Adjustments made more space for participants and caregivers to share, reflect, and connect—advancing the program’s core goal of community-building.
Lasting Tools for Growth: The upcoming guidebook, Creating Moments that Matter, offers a replicable model for other institutions looking to create dementia-inclusive, performance-based programs.
Cross-Departmental Insights: The project also revealed broader institutional learnings—such as how access, education, and aging services can better intersect to serve older adult patrons across life stages.

This collaboration not only supported Lincoln Center’s program goals, but also contributed to a wider ecosystem of creative aging practice—bridging access and excellence through strategic, thoughtful design.

Testimonials

“This project was a really complete experience. If you had taken any part of it away, it wouldn’t have been as impactful. The fact that we had so much in-depth time with leadership and with facilitators allowed something to be implemented at Lincoln Center that’s going to be sustainable long term.”

— Julie Kline, Director of Program Strategy, Lifetime Arts

“This collaboration really showed how creative limitations, when aligned with clear goals, can actually free up facilitators and deepen participant connection. It helped everyone feel more aligned, more purposeful.”

— Nathan Majoros, Director of Consulting and Capacity Building, Lifetime Arts

Ready to Build Something Meaningful?

At Lifetime Arts, we partner with institutions ready to serve older adults through creativity, connection, and care. Whether you’re developing a new program or refining an existing one, we bring inclusive expertise, practical tools, and deep listening to help you design for lasting impact.

Let’s co-create the future of creative aging—one program, one partnership, one community at a time.

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