It’s not quite as simple as “build it and they will come,” but in a growing number of communities, art studios are a magnet for residents. Well-designed studios, paired with appropriate programming, can attract everyone from seasoned artists to people who have never picked up a paintbrush. Pursuing artistic activities is beneficial for older adults. A Mayo Clinic study found that people with long-term involvement in creative arts such as painting, sculpture, and music had significantly less cognitive impairment in their 80s than those with little or no involvement. The longer they participated, the sharper their minds were.
