As part of The Long Lives We Carry, Clifton Cultural Arts Center and SOS ART invites community members of all ages to participate in a collaborative installation celebrating the elders who have shaped our lives.

Throughout the exhibition, a dedicated gallery space will grow into a collective portrait of our community through photographs and personal reflections honoring parents, grandparents, neighbors, mentors, friends, and loved ones. Whether your subject is still with us or lives on in memory, we invite you to share a glimpse of the long lives that continue to shape our own.

Together, these photographs and stories will form an evolving installation that reflects the richness, wisdom, humor, resilience, and humanity of aging within our community. We hope you’ll help us create a space that honors the people who have carried us, taught us, and continue to shape who we are.

• A photograph of an elder who is meaningful to you 
• A brief written reflection, memory, or story to accompany the image

Professional photography is not expected or required. A favorite snapshot from a family album is just as welcome as a newly created portrait. What matters most is the relationship and the story behind the image.

For those interested in creating a new image, CCAC will also offer an optional Portrait Photography Workshop led by photographer Matt Zory on August 15. The workshop will provide an introduction to the topic by Saad Ghosn from SOS ART (curator of The Long Lives We Carry) , as well as approachable guidance for photographing the elders in your life with care and intention. Participation in the workshop is entirely optional—community members are welcome to submit photographs regardless of whether they attend.