How Soft Power Produces Good Outcomes in Local Care Homes
Kunqu Opera in Beijing Performer
Professor Joe Goldblatt
For over six hundred years China has been creating and evolving their cultural programmes. However, many in the western world are unaware of these rich treasures unless they happen to see a touring company at one of the Edinburgh Festivals or as part of a commercial tour.
During the past nine days in China a small group of cultural leaders from Edinburgh had the privilege and honour of having front row seats as we viewed state of the art theatres and the artists whose magical offerings enliven them on a daily basis. Through the efforts of Dr Chris Wang, Chair of the Asian Art Awards, the Edinburgh team of culture leaders also had the opportunity to meet these artists in many social settings and during these intimate encounters learn how much they desire to share their talents with western audiences.
And we need them, now, more than ever before in my lifetime.
As I watched in horror as the President of Ukraine was subjected to bullying by the President and Vice President of the United States I wondered how those that choose intimidation over collaboration might benefit from meeting some of the artists that I encountered this past week. Might it still be possible to soften their hearts and open their minds to the wonders of thousands of years of talent and creativity awaiting their discovery behind the iron curtains they seem to be rapidly lowering each new day?
In 2022, my wife and I decided to raise another cultural curtain in the city of Edinburgh. Our friend had recently been admitted to a local care home. In the City of Edinburgh we now have 60 care homes that look after 2500 residents. I asked my friend’s wife if I could invite him to join me for a Fringe Festival performance. She explained that due to his physical precarity this would be difficult. I then asked if I could bring a Fringe performer to his care home and she agreed.
Working with Barchester Healthcare I was able to bring a singer from Canada named Melanie Gall and as she sang Edith Piaf’s famed song Le Vin de Rose over 100 residents awakened from their altzheimers induced slumber and suddenly and surprisingly began to sing along in french! As my eyes began to scan the room and I witnessed the dozens of smiles I realised that something extraordinary was taking place. The 65 residents of my friend’s care home had suddenly been transported back to the Festival Fringe within the comfort and safety of their own home.
The next year the Edinburgh Interfaith Association and Barchester Healthcare agreed to further support four care home performances and based upon this continuing success the following year with the support of Scottish Care we expanded the number of care home performances to nine and entertained over 1000 residents, family and friends, and staff as they enjoyed live performers from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, and Edinburgh’s twelfth new festival, the Fringe Cares Fest, was born!
Therefore, as I met one by one with the over 150 Chinese artists in Shanghai, Nanjing, Chengdu, and Beijing and explained the purpose of the newly developed concept of the Fringe Cares Festival presented in local care homes I was delighted when every artist enthusiastically agreed to share their talents with my audiences who otherwise would never have the opportunity to experience these rare talents from the far east. Several of the Chinese artists also asked me if they would have the opportunity to meet and get to know their audience members and when I said that this was integral to the programme they were delighted.
So in August of 2025 I am hopeful that east shall meet west in over one dozen of our care homes as over 1500 Edinburgh audience members have the opportunity to be entertained by the unique talents of our Chinese musical, dance, and dramatic performers. I am hopeful that this new interaction will result in the soft power through live cutlural performances will lead to the hard and powerful outcomes of better understanding, respect, and appreciation for other distant cultures.
Whilst I cannot alone reverse the quickly quickly descending iron curtain throughout the world, perhaps, one care resident at a time will this summer have the opportunity to peek behind this globally darkening drape and be entertained, enthused, and even inspired by the generosity of others who have travelled thousands of miles to share their artistry with them so that, as one resident who smiilingly told me last year will feel once again, “Life goes on as I return to the Fringe Festival from within my own home!”
Professor Joe Goldblatt is Emeritus Professor of Planned Events at Queen Magaret University in Edinburgh, Scotland. His views are his own. To learn more about his views visit www.joegoldblatt.scot