In October 2025, we offered free access to our galleries and drop-in creative workshops for older adults as part of Age UK’s Silver Sunday celebrations. 

Silver Sunday is a national event that aims to increase community connection, improve wellbeing, and combat isolation among older people. 

For this special day, we connected with a range of Bristol-based organisations, including care homes, community groups, and local networks, to invite people to take part in artist-led workshops and to explore our 172nd Annual Exhibition – free of charge. 

Many attendees visited the RWA for the first time. Several participants were in recovery or experiencing challenges with their physical or mental health. One attendee, recovering from a back injury, shared: 

It was great to do things with people my age and not feel too old.

Others said they had not taken part in creative activities since school, recalling how their experiences of art education had sometimes felt rigid or discouraging, and that they had once been told they weren’t “good enough.” 

Artist Cat Knight, who facilitated the workshops, reflected: 

People were proud of the work they made. Many created more than one drawing, and we made an impromptu exhibition of their pieces on the wall, which became a great talking point and a source of pride.

In total, 154 people attended the day’s celebrations.  

Read more about how we are using the arts to create connections and improve wellbeing here.  

Silver Sunday was made possible through the support of the John James Foundation

Image credit: Francisco Vicaria Eggen / KoLAB Studios