Art Exhibition challenging misconceptions about dementia opens in Enniskillen 

Local charity Dementia NI is currently hosting a unique exhibition at the Ardhowen Theatre, Enniskillen, exploring what it is really like living with dementia in Northern Ireland and challenging the widespread stigma about the condition.

The exhibition, real Lives: The Art of Living With Dementia’, showcases captivating photography, striking patchwork quilts, and moving poetry. The exhibition features 45 pieces created by Dementia NI members, all of whom live with a diagnosis of dementia.  The exhibition is open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm closing on Saturday 28 October 2023. Admission to the exhibition is free, visitors should note that the display area is not fully accessible with access via a staircase only. 

There are over 20,000 people living with dementia across Northern Ireland and this number is projected to rise to 60,000 by 2050*, due in part to our ageing population. Years of stigma and misunderstanding have led to common misconceptions about what it means to live with dementia. In fact, dementia has been reported as the condition people fear the most, with over half (56%) of people putting off seeking a diagnosis for up to a year or more**.

Dementia NI’s exhibition sets out to challenge these misconceptions, transforming how people view the condition and starting conversations through the medium of art. It shares a message of hope that many people with dementia are still able to enjoy life in the same way as before their diagnosis and live well with dementia.

The exhibition features patchwork quilts created during an online project organised by Dementia NI and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, to help local people with dementia stay active during lockdown. Working with Arts Council art tutors, Dementia NI members were encouraged to make their own heirloom quilts which tell the story of their lives.

The free exhibition also features photographs taken by Dementia NI members, including Davie McElhinney from Enniskillen, with support from Arts Care. Through poignant photographs, Davie tells his story of the emotions he experienced after diagnosis and the journey he went on from shock and despair to acceptance and hope.

“After a diagnosis of dementia, it is still possible to learn new skills, experience new things, and achieve something worthwhile,” says Davie. “It is my hope that the stigma of dementia continues to be challenged and we can have an open dialogue around how to challenge assumptions about dementia when they appear. The biggest misconception about dementia is that it’s an elderly person’s illness but that’s not the case. Many of us [Dementia NI members] are early onset and are living well with medication and support from Dementia NI. It’s trying to break that misconception; most people only know the media image.”

Patricia Hutchinson, Empowerment Facilitator for the Western area at Dementia NI, added: 

“This thought-provoking art exhibition is a great opportunity to get people talking about dementia and challenge their misconceptions about those who live with dementia. The exhibition is full of artworks by our members, who have used their creative skills to express how they are feeling and sharing their experiences following a diagnosis of dementia. By coming to see this exhibition you will be helping to change perceptions of dementia and helping to tackle stigma.”

The exhibition is open Monday to Saturday, admission free to the general public, 10am – 4pm from Monday 16th October to Saturday 28 October, at the Ardhowen Theatre, 97 Dublin Road, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, BT74 6FZ. It will then move to Roe Valley Arts Centre in Limavady before travelling to further locations throughout Northern Ireland.

This project has been made possible through a partnership approach with Waterside Theatre, in particular Amanda Jane Prow. In addition, we would like to thank our funders – Community Foundation for Northern Ireland and The Arts Council of Northern Ireland. Dementia NI’s Empowerment Groups meet regularly across Northern Ireland. They are free of charge and anyone who has received a diagnosis and is in the early to middle stages of dementia may like to attend. For more info call 028 9693 1555 or email info@dementiani.org. 

If you would like more information on the exhibition or to speak to one of our members, please email jane@dementiani.org or call 07966 881 422.