Abbotsford – The Reach Gallery Museum is pleased to announce Your Creative Reach, a therapeutic arts program designed to support unpaid caregivers aged 55+ through accessible, creative experiences that encourage self-expression, connection, and stress reduction.
“Finding a creative outlet has the ability to reduce stress and foster resilience,” says Kevin Orlosky, Therapeutic Arts Coordinator at The Reach. “With Your Creative Reach, we wanted to make the program as accessible to caregivers as possible, wherever they are, and whatever their circumstances may be.”
Recognizing that caregiving responsibilities can leave little time for personal interests and self-care, Your Creative Reach offers multiple opportunities for caregivers to engage with creativity, whether in person, at home, online, or within their own communities.
C3: Culture, Creativity, & Community
On Wednesday mornings The Reach hosts C3: Culture, Creativity, & Community, a free facilitated weekly gathering for caregivers and older adults aged 55+. Through discussion, personal storytelling, gallery experiences, and hands-on creative activities, participants have opportunities to connect with others, explore new ideas, and engage in meaningful creative experiences in a welcoming environment. Free; registration is required.
When: Wednesday’s, 10:15a.m. – 11:45a.m. Now through May 2027
Where: The Reach Gallery Museum Studio
To register visit:https://thereach.ca/events/c3-
Your Creative Reach Video series
This fall, The Reach is addressing barriers to access in caregiving populations by launching the Your Creative Reachvideo series, a collection of free, online, creativity-building activities developed for caregivers to enjoy at home, on their own schedule. Unlike traditional art tutorials, these videos focus less on creating a finished artwork and more on sparking creativity through observation, imagination, curiosity, and experimentation. Using simple materials commonly found at home, participants are encouraged to build their “creative muscles” through playful exploration and personal expression.
Each video highlights an artist from the Fraser Valley and pairs up their creative approach with an accessible activity that invites participants to see the world differently and discover their own ideas.
The first two videos, inspired by the creative practices of artists Faria Firoz and Bella Nielsen, are now available online. Eight more will be released by February 2027.
Watch the videos here:https://thereach.ca/
Creativity Kits for Home
For caregivers who may find it difficult to attend programs in person, Your Creative Reach also offers free Creativity Kits. These self-guided kits provide opportunities to explore the therapeutic value of art-making at home using thoughtfully designed activities that encourage reflection, creativity, and personal expression.
Our first kit, Impressions of…, explores memory and meaningful relationships through plaster casting. Kits are free for caregivers and available at The Reach’s front desk while supplies last.
Therapeutic Arts in the Community
Your Creative Reach also delivers therapeutic arts programming in the community through partnerships with local organizations. This year, off-site classes have been offered through Archway Community Services, The Alzheimer Society of BC, and Sumas First Nation, bringing creative experiences to caregivers and older adults where they already gather and receive support.
Emphasizing process over product, these multi-session programs use artmaking as a tool for creative exploration, social connection, self-expression, and well-being. By working alongside community partners, Your Creative Reach helps reduce barriers to participation and offers therapeutic arts programming to a wider range of caregivers and older adults.
Hosting Partnerships
Your Creative Reach also offers hosting partnerships that provide community organizations serving unpaid caregivers aged 55+ with access to The Reach’s studio space. These partnerships help organizations bring caregivers together for creative, educational, and wellness-focused activities in an inspiring arts environment. Use of the space is provided free of charge for eligible organizations whose programs support unpaid caregivers, subject to availability. By sharing its creative spaces with community partners, The Reach helps expand opportunities for connection, learning, and well-being for caregivers throughout Abbotsford.
To inquire, email:programs@thereach.ca
About Caring for Caregivers
Your Creative Reachis part of Caring for Caregivers, a collective impact initiative dedicated to supporting the well-being of unpaid caregivers in Abbotsford. The program is made possible through generous support from the Maplewood Care Society and is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program. Caring for Caregivers was developed to address the unique challenges faced by unpaid caregivers and to provide them with meaningful opportunities for respite, connection, and support.
Learn more at:https://www.
About The Reach Gallery Museum
Established in 2008, The Reach Gallery Museum is an award-winning hub of cultural activity in Abbotsford, BC. As a public art gallery, The Reach presents a dynamic series of exhibitions, public art projects, and educational programs for audiences of all ages and backgrounds, circulates exhibitions to venues across Canada, fosters artistic development at all career stages, and builds community through creativity in Abbotsford, across the Fraser Valley, and beyond. As a local archive and history museum, The Reach plays a vital role in preserving, disseminating, and pluralizing community history through digitization projects, research support, and educator resources.
Social media
Facebook: @TheReachGalleryMuseum
Instagram: @thereachgallery
Kevin Orlosky (he/him)
Therapeutic Arts Coordinator, The Reach Gallery Museum
The Reach is located in Stó:lō Tém:éxw, on the unceded territory of Máthxwi First Nation and Semá:th First Nation.
