{
  "abstract": "Background People living with dementia often face stigma, social isolation, and limited opportunities for creative expression. To address this, our hospice led the Dementia Unmuted Festival – placing lived experience at the centre of awareness, inclusion, and care innovation.Aims The festival aimed to challenge stigma, promote inclusion, and celebrate the creativity and contributions of those affected by dementia. It sought to empower individuals, influence perceptions, and model a compassionate, person-centred approach to dementia care.Methods Our hospice delivered a series of co-produced events, including ballroom dance sessions, an Open Mic afternoon, a community outreach art exhibition, and a commissioned theatre performance. People living with dementia were central to shaping each event, from creative workshops to the sharing of personal narratives.Results The festival engaged a wide audience, including healthcare professionals, carers, students, and the local community. Participants reported increased empathy, understanding, and connection. The theatre performance prompted critical discussion around ethical care practices, while the outreach art programme extended support to individuals in care homes. The festival’s creative outputs – especially artworks and first-person storytelling – are now being used to support training, awareness, and service development.Conclusion The Dementia Unmuted Festival showcased the transformative impact of creativity, co-production, and community engagement in dementia care. It affirmed our hospice’s commitment to fostering dignity, inclusion, and wellbeing – demonstrating that people living with dementia can lead, inspire, and shape better care. Our hospice is committed to making Dementia Unmuted a yearly event, embedding its values into the heart of our service and community outreach.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "St Mary’s Hospice, Barrow in Furness, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Lynsey Lawson"
    }
  ],
  "title": "P-19 Dementia unmuted: amplifying voices, challenging stigma, and celebrating life through creativity",
  "uid": "421aba17-2a70-5551-bab7-39c67269e431"
}