More and more people are living longer in the UK and the number of people with dementia is increasing. Alzheimer’s Society estimates that the total cost of dementia in the UK is £42 billion. Sixty-three per cent of these costs are from those living with dementia and their families.
As part of this week's Dementia Action Week (19 - 23 May) organised by Alzheimer’s Society, five Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex (ARC KSS) Dementia Community (DEMCOMM) research fellows - funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) - along with artists and the Bright Shadow for Dementia Arts Charity, are hosting a unique art exhibition, created by people living with dementia to explore what matters most to them.
To prepare for the exhibition, innovative art workshops were held with individuals living with dementia and their carers at two community hubs: The Hop 50+ in Brighton & Hove—an inclusive café and activity centre known for its specialist dementia programmes—and the Thanington Neighbourhood Resource Centre in Canterbury, home to the monthly Forget-Me-Nots dementia support group.
Led by facilitators Becky Vincer and Lucy Stockton-Smith, in collaboration with Bright Shadow, a charity that uses creative arts to enrich the lives of people living with dementia, the workshops invited participants to map their personal support systems as constellations—visual representations of the people, places, and services that guide, anchor, and uplift them through their dementia journey.
The finished artwork is now on display at a dual-site exhibition, Support that Matters, hosted in Shoreham, Sussex and Whitstable, Kent. The exhibition offers a powerful exploration into the lives of those affected by dementia, highlighting the essential networks of care—family, friends, neighbours, health professionals, and community groups—that play a vital role in sustaining wellbeing, identity, and a sense of belonging for those navigating dementia.
Throughout the exhibition, are poignant quotations from people with lived experience of dementia and their carers, offering personal reflections on what support looks and feels like.
Becky Vincer, workshop facilitator said:
"This project has been a real pleasure to work on, the artworks created by the groups are both unique and striking. Participants were generous and open in sharing the kinds of support that matter most to them—often from family, friends, and neighbours—but they also spoke about the support they don’t receive, with many reflecting on the loneliness they experience.
"We aimed to create workshops that were meaningful and accessible, while still offering depth and space for reflection. I truly feel that we achieved this, and I hope the exhibition helps raise awareness and understanding among those who come to see it."
To find out more about the "Support That Matters" – A Dementia Art Exhibition click here.
To find out more about DEMFEST research and the events taking place during Dementia Action week click here.
