Burke County art organizations share how creativity keeps the brain sharp

Decades of research have suggested that creative activities have mental and physical health benefits.

Come to find out, creativity keeps the brain young.

A group of researchers (Coronel-Oliveros, C., Migeot, J., Lehue, F. et al.) published “Creative experiences and brain clocks” in “Nature Communications” in October 2025. Their studies showed that creative activities enhance neuroplasticity and, more or less, slow brain-aging.

Brain age does not necessarily match one’s physical age, and involves cognitive, structural, neuronal, and chemical changes, according to the American Brain Foundation.

Neuroplasticity is “your brain’s ability to absorb information and evolve to manage new challenges,” according to Cleveland Clinic.

It is safe to say then that artistic processes keep us sharp.

For many, though, the arts may not be easily accessible. Whether it’s lack of confidence or lack of money for supplies and/or classes, it can feel at times like creative activities are locked behind a paywall.

But if you live in Burke County, there are lots of opportunities to get creative. And better yet, while some of those opportunities are priced in the triple digits, many of the workshops and classes are about $15 to $40 on the lower end, and $50 to $75 on the higher end.

Two places to look are the Burke Arts Council in Morganton and Rock School Arts Foundation in Valdese. Both organizations offer opportunities for children and adults, and both believe in the benefits of creativity.

CREATIVITY IN ADULTHOOD

Burke Arts Council Workshop Coordinator Brittny Charity Valdes said staying creative keeps the brain healthy as we age. It also keeps adults engaged with other people and can stave off loneliness.

“And then with the screens now and all of the information, (it’s good for) mental health in general,” Valdes said. “It’s really nice to hang out with likeminded creatives and escape.”

Old Rock Arts Foundation Executive Director Sharon Bowman also said it helps with brain function and keeping one’s thought process sharp.

Many adults run into a roadblock, though: Their own self-consciousness or perfectionism.

Bowman said when someone tells her they don’t have the skills or can’t do a specific type of art, she responds, “Yes, you can.”

“I go on to say, ‘You may be intimidated by trying,’ because most people stop art in elementary school. Their ability is still at that very basic level because they may not have taken it in middle school … (or) in high school, so they feel that their ability level is elementary and they don’t feel comfortable with others seeing that,” Bowman said.

Bowman said it’s a matter of getting past the uncomfortable part and opening themselves up to the prospect.

“If you can draw a stick figure, then you can draw something else besides a stick figure,” Bowman said. “It’s a matter of learning to break images down into line movement rather than a whole image.”

Valdes said she tells people not to worry about being perfect or “good at it.”

“Somebody said to me the other day, ‘Practice makes progress,’” Valdes said. “I like that better than practice makes perfect.”

Both Valdes and Burke Arts Council Executive Director Deborah Jones said the biggest component is that people must be willing to try.

“Nobody here is grading you or judging you,” Valdes said. “All of our teaching artists are so kind and patient. They just want to share their craft with you and see what you take from it.”

After workshops at Burke Arts Council, Valdes said some people have told her they hated their work but that the class was fun. She said for them, it wasn’t about the product, it was the overall experience.

“Having someone give you permission to be who you are with your ability level and grow from there is a really important factor,” Bowman said. “You’re going to be introduced to a particular medium … and you will do it on your own ability level, not anybody else’s, because we’re all different.”

As a retired visual arts teacher, Bowman said part of her job was meeting students where they were and helping them progress.

“(Also) getting them to understand that everybody has that ability. You just have to get comfortable with your ability and know that you can move yourself forward if you’re so minded.”

THERE ARE BENEFITS FOR KIDS, TOO

“More than adults, kids really need these opportunities to grow their skills,” Valdes said. “Not just artistic skills, but communication skills and self-esteem, self-awareness. I mean, being in an art class, you really develop interpersonal (skills).”

Valdes said her sights are set on getting more funding for Burke Arts Council’s youth classes and more scholarships for kids whose families can’t afford the classes.

Opportunities for kids include one-off events like the upcoming “Dancing Around the World” class on Nov. 11, and the ongoing after-school art club that meets twice a month on Wednesdays. There are also Saturday morning art classes once or twice a month.

Jones said the organization also offers parent-child classes sometimes.

One of Valdes’ goals is adding a regular, weekly art class for teenagers since not all teens have access to art classes as they progress into high school.

Burke Arts Council has offered a huge range of mediums to its youth so far, including acting, watercolor, clay, leather working, origami, and book-binding.

“You never know what they’re (kids) not getting in different places, and when they come here, it’s just another place to get something more out of life,” Valdes said. “What if they come here and they get, finally, for the first time, a, ‘Good job buddy’? … You just never know what they’re going through, and I like to be a place of hope and light and creativity and self-expression.”

For more information on Burke Arts Council and Rock School Arts Foundation, visit their websites at www.burkearts.org and rockschoolartgalleries.com.