Magdalena Schamberger is a Creative Collaborator, Theatre Director, Consultant and Teacher.
She has a special interest in co-creating and developing high quality performances with and for people living with dementia, their loved ones and those who care for them. My aim is to challenge assumptions and change perceptions about the creative potential of people living with dementia and their contribution to society.
With over 30 years of experience performing, directing and teaching physical theatre and clowning in the UK and internationally, Magdalena co-founded Hearts & Minds in 1997 and remained its Artistic Director until December 2017. In this role she developed the unique and highly acclaimed Elderflowers programme for people living with dementia, which has influenced similar programmes across the globe.
In 2014, Magdalena was awarded a Paul Hamlyn Breakthrough Fund grant to further advance her work and as a result has have created Curious Shoes and In the Light of Day, collaborative performances for people living with dementia, as well as Artful Minds and Mindful Arts, experiential training initiatives for artists of all art forms. She is currently working on the research & development of Framed, the third part of my dementia responsive trilogy.
Magdalena was appointed Honorary Professor with the School of Health Sciences at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh in 2016 and serves as Trustee and EDI Champion on the Board of Directors of Love Music – life enhancing music making for everyone. For more info, please visit https://lovemusic.org.uk/
As Creative Director and lead facilitator with Bold (Bringing Out Leaders in Dementia), a 5-year long social leadership project, supported by the Life Changes Trust, Bold recognises that a large number of new leaders of all ages and from all walks of life, including many people living with dementia, are already finding their place in ‘the dementia world’. Bold is bringing different types of leader together on an equal footing and providing free leadership development opportunities across Scotland. For more information on Bold, please visit https://bold-scotland.org/about-us/
