On January 10th, 2025, the Edwin S. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging (ELCHA) hosted Artists’ Night, an event that showcased the incredible creativity of local artists who were finalists of the Healthy Aging Visual Art Prize contest. The night was a celebration of art, community, and the power of creative expression to challenge perceptions of aging!
The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the Healthy Aging Visual Art Prize contest winners, whose remarkable pieces captured the beauty, resilience, and potential of aging:
Public Category:
🏆 1st Place: Lifegiving by Esmie Gayo McLaren ($1000 prize!)
🥈 2nd Place: Transformation: One Day or Day One by Gloria Daly
🥉 3rd Place (tie): Harmony by Merry Meredith and Home by Annette Nieukerk
Centre-affiliated category:
Top Investigator Entry: Aspiration: Dancing ‘Auntie’ by Naznin Virji-Babul
Top Trainee Entry: Aging Gracefully: The Joy of Generational Bonds by Navaneetha Ravichandran
We were honoured to welcome Premier David Eby and the new BC Seniors Advocate Dan Levitt, who joined the event to celebrate the incredible talent and vision of BC artists. Their presence underscored the provincial importance of supporting healthy aging through creativity and community.
The event also featured inspiring speeches, vibrant discussions, and a strong sense of community engagement from older adults who attended the exhibition. We would like to thank everyone who made this night unforgettable – our finalists, attendees, and jurors, and Dr. Julia Henderson, the Chair of the Healthy Aging Visual Art Prize and ELCHA Co-lead for Community Engagement and Intersection. A special thank you to the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health (DMCBH) for partnering with us on this remarkable initiative. Your efforts are helping redefine the narrative around healthy aging through art!
To view all of the incredible submissions to the contest, click here to access the digital art gallery. Photos of the event below are courtesy of ELCHA Communications Assistant Devyani McLaren and the DMCBH Communications Manager Clement Woo.
