It is the project "Cultural-Breath in Holstebro" – a health-promoting initiative – that, with support from foundations and in collaboration with Holstebro Municipality, gives nursing home residents the opportunity for a present and loving cultural experience.

– We can see that our visits have a positive effect. It's about meeting the residents with open hearts and creating space for joy and togetherness, says Tanja Marcher, who helped establish the Danish Care Clowns five years ago together with Arendse Lillesø.

The Danish Care Clowns is a nonprofit organization that works to bring joy in life, presence, and cultural experiences into the everyday lives of particularly the elderly in nursing homes, people with dementia, and adults with developmental disabilities.

The organization operates based on the values of respect, dignity, and curiosity. Therefore, a visit from care clowns should be a "suitable and respectful disturbance."

– Our wish is to bring warmth, hope, and humor into a daily life where illness and dependency on others otherwise take up a lot of space. A moment of laughter, a shared song, or just a cup of coffee – that is often enough to awaken memories and strengthen the residents' sense of identity and mastery, says Tanja Marcher, adding that the care clowns are very aware not to make fun of the elderly.

– We are not clowns in the traditional sense, but the clown figure has something very special, and we use it to bring positive energy and presence into the encounter with the elderly, says Tanja Marcher.

For the care clowns, it's not about entertaining, but about being together in the moment.

– We can see how it affects the residents when we come to visit. It can be an obvious joy, but it can also be a resident without language who strokes one on the cheek or lays their forehead against mine. Then we know that we have created a relationship, and that is very touching, says Tanja Marcher, adding that the care staff also gives many positive feedback.

The project, which is expected to last one and a half to two years, includes a total of 15 nursing home departments and has a total budget of 837,000 kroner. So far, it has been possible to raise funds to carry out five clown visits to the halves of the nursing homes in the municipality. The first visits are planned for late summer and autumn.

– We have received foundation funds and contributions from private individuals, and we hope to succeed in raising the remaining funds so that we can ensure that all nursing homes receive visits, says Tanja Marcher, who hopes that the project can subsequently be expanded to other municipalities.