Perennial Muse, Inc.

Creativity isn't a luxury—it's a lifeline. 🎵

The emerging field of creative aging is revealing what many of us have always felt: that making and experiencing music helps us think more clearly, feel less isolated, and live longer, more fulfilling lives. For older adults especially, the benefits go far beyond enjoyment.

At Perennial Muse, we believe that music is an act of self-care—one that nourishes the mind, body, and spirit at every age.

Swipe to explore what the science says about creativity and well-being and what creative aging is all about. 👉

📸 image 1: Amal Biskin

Two years in, and the music keeps growing. 🥁

Meet Debra and Paula — two participants from the Penn Wortman Dream Drummers group, Perennial Muse's Steel Tongue Drum class for Older Adults at Millennium Development Penn Wortman Older Adult Center in East New York, Brooklyn, New York.

Debra came to the class through her local senior center. She played viola from 3rd through 12th grade — and now, decades later, she's back to making music on her own terms. "I come here, and it's something I can do and it's on my time," she says. "I can still keep up. That's what I like."

Paula puts it simply: "I truly enjoyed learning something new and exciting… even though we were far from perfect, it was a great experience."

What started as an eight-week pilot class in spring 2024 has grown to a session of 12+ participants — with a waiting list. Every week, older adults gather for an hour of music instruction, community, and something that's just for them. Senior center members even stop by to observe and enjoy the music making process.

Perennial Muse provides all instruments, music books and stands, and instruction by experienced teaching artists. No experience needed, just a willingness to play and make music.

🎵 This is what lifelong learning looks like. Thank you Brooklyn Arts Council for making this program possible.

Big news! ✨ Perennial Muse is proud to be a 2026 Brooklyn Arts Council Creative Cohort grantee, and we’ll be celebrating at the Brooklyn Arts Awards on May 19th! We have been awarded TWO grants by the Brooklyn Arts Council this year—the Local Arts Support grant supporting our Steel Tongue Drum for Older Adults program, and the Brooklyn Arts Fund grant supporting Lunch Music Cafe, an afternoon concert series of live music performances during lunch. This marks our third year to receive support from BAC, and we couldn't do what we do without their help.

The Local Arts Support grant, funded by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), supports high-quality community arts projects that center engagement and meaningful outcomes — and our Steel Tongue Drum for Older Adults program does exactly that, bringing live music and connection to older adults in our community. The Brooklyn Arts Fund, funded by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), supports arts and cultural projects that enrich the creative life of Brooklyn — and Lunch Music Cafe is proud to be part of that mission.

We're so grateful to BAC for believing in this work and helping us make it possible. As BAC celebrates 60 years of investing in Brooklyn's arts community, we're proud to be part of that legacy.

Congratulations to all the 2026 Creative Cohort grantees! We're honored to be part of an incredible group of artists and organizations doing important work across Brooklyn! 🎶✨

An update on our Brooklyn Org Winter 2026 Microgrant, and what it means for our community. 💚

This capacity building grant is helping us strengthen the foundation that makes our work possible—supporting operating costs so that we can build a more reliable infrastructure for our programs. A strong organization means more consistent, sustainable support for the older adults we serve across Brooklyn.

We are excited to have the support of so that we can continue to provide free live music concerts and creative aging programs in neighborhood Older Adult Centers, nursing and rehabilitation facilities, and assisted living communities.

Thank you, Brooklyn Org, for investing in not just what we do, but how we grow. 🎵

Brooklyn Org is a champion for Brooklyn bringing together community changemakers to be a new model for local philanthropy, built from the ground up, in pursuit of a more equitable and just borough. Since its founding in 2009, Brooklyn Org has moved over $130 million to nonprofits through its strategic grantmaking and Donor Advised Funds, while driving action to address urgent crises and long-term change in Brooklyn. Learn more at brooklyn.org.

Music doesn't have an age limit. 🎵 At Perennial Muse, we believe that experiencing music is a lifelong journey — one that deepens our world, sharpens our memories, and brings us together.

It started in 2023 with our Lunch Music Cafe afternoon concert series, bringing live music and community to adults in NYC. This month, we're celebrating the two year anniversary of our group music class—Steel Tongue Drum for Older Adults—an 8-week adult beginner program at an Older Adult Center in Brooklyn.

We believe that musical exposure is a perennial, lifelong process that deepens our experiences, heightens our senses, and fine tunes our memories. We're here to bring the joy of music to older adults across New York City, through lessons, concerts, and community.

Get to know Perennial Muse! We're just getting started.

📸 Raices Steel Tongue Drum photos: Amal Biskin

Perennial Muse is pleased to announce that we have been awarded a Winter 2026 Microgrant from Brooklyn Org. We are so grateful for this support and excited to partner with this wonderful and amazing organization Brooklyn Org in furthering our mission to serve Brooklyn’s older adult community through creative aging music programs and free live music concerts in neighborhood older adult centers, nursing & rehabilitation centers, and assisted living facilities. Thank you, Brooklyn Org!

Brooklyn Org is a champion for Brooklyn bringing together community changemakers to be a new model for local philanthropy, built from the ground up, in pursuit of a more equitable and just borough. Since its founding in 2009, Brooklyn Org has moved over $130 million to nonprofits through its strategic grantmaking and Donor Advised Funds, while driving action to address urgent crises and long-term change in Brooklyn. Learn more at brooklyn.org.

Perennial Muse wishes everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year 2026 filled with love, joy, and peace! Thank you to all our friends and supporters for help in supporting a year of beautiful music making in our older adult communities. 🎶💟

Season’s Greetings and Happy Holidays to all! Perennial Muse wishes everyone a beautiful, joyous, healthy, and peaceful year end and year ahead. We are thankful and grateful to all our supporters in helping us to bring music programs to older adult communities in New York City. Your support is vital to our work, and we appreciate it!💟
Please help us reach our year end fundraising goals by making a tax-deductible gift to Perennial Muse, Inc. Thank you for your support!

DONATE NOW at https://www.perennialmuse.org/donate-now

Perennial Muse's last week of Steel Tongue Drum classes at Eileen C. Dugan AMICO Older Adult Center in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, New York was magical! Thank you to all the wonderful participants who joined the class for 6 weeks of learning with soothing sounds and creative expression. At Perennial Muse, we believe it's never too late to discover new instruments, connect with others, and explore the healing power of music. Seeing everyone's faces light up as they created beautiful melodies together reminded us why we do what we do. A huge thank you to our incredible teaching artist Dr. Aundrey Mitchell and to every person who brought their curiosity and open heart to the class. We can't wait to see you next session!

This is a Local Arts Support (LAS) project sponsored, in part, by the Statewide Community Regrants (SCR) Program of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), administered by Brooklyn Arts Council.

Winter is almost here, and Perennial Muse is ready to cozy everyone up with some winter and holiday seasonal music! Lunch Music Cafe is warming up with "Warm Winter Jazz" at Eileen C. Dugan AMICO Senior Center in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, NY on Thursday, December 11th from 11:45am - 12:45pm. The BC Trio with Bruce Cox (drums), Jay Rodriguez (saxophone), and Ron Affif (guitar) will be providing the musical vibes. Perfect way to brighten a chilly December day. Join us for smooth jazz & seasonal cheer at our winter lunchtime concert!

Lunch Music Cafe is a Brooklyn Arts Fund (BAF) project sponsored, in part, by the Greater New York Arts Development Fund of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (), administered by Brooklyn Arts Council