Artist Comissions
Arts for Health at MMU is working with St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals and Taylor Woodrow Construction to develop an integrated arts programme across two new hospital builds. Full details of this work and current commissions for artists will be available here from February 1st 2008.
Culture and Arts Strategy
Vision
To embed creativity, culture and the arts within the heart of the St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals, supporting the delivery of health services across innovative, beautiful buildings that are fit for purpose, are user friendly, promote well-being and raise aspirations.
Achieving the Vision
"St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals is committed to providing the best treatment and care for our patients and the highest quality environments for all those people who come into contact with our services. As part of the new build programme, I am committed to creating healing environments that work beyond the functional; that are beautiful, attractive and welcoming, with the aim of putting people at their ease.
On behalf of the Trust Board, I am pleased to support this initial vision statement and the long-term ambition of an integrated arts programme across the Trust. I look forward to working with Arts for Health in delivering this work."
Ann Marr
Chief Executive
St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals
Healing Apron - Julia Griffiths Jones R.A.C.H
Aims:
Progress innovative uses of the arts to support the Trust in meeting its core objectives, instigating a programme of activity that engages patients, staff and wider community in the development of the buildings, fostering a sense of ownership
Compliment the healing environment by creating places that are beautiful, inspiring and welcoming through the inclusion of art-works that are of the highest quality, are timeless and suitable to the health environment
Support and enhance the internal and external way-finding strategy by creating landmarks, focal points and guiding features in a personal and welcoming space that where appropriate, reflects familiar and local connections
Create a strong and coherent identity for specific projects, engendering civic pride and enhancing the image of health services across the district
Actively engage the local population in decision making, affecting appropriate consultation, ranging from schools to community groups
Research and evaluate the impact of arts based products and activity in health care settings
Create a therapeutic environment that supports healing and promotes positive health messages
Support the development of a beautiful environment that actively reassures, stimulates and diverts patients from their distress, alleviating boredom and anxiety
Raise the profile of local health services, the PFI programme and the creative community through ring-fenced opportunities for artists including training and mentoring
- Integrate local, national and international best practice
- Deliver landmark works
- Create changing exhibition spaces
- Develop a permanent exhibition space
- Commission welcoming works
- Produce creative way-finding solutions
- Create site-specific environments
- Initiate an artist in residency/mentoring programme
Entrance to St Helens Hospital
If you are an artist with experience of working in the public domain and are interested in commissions in Phase 1 of this work, you can find briefs for a number of commissions by clicking on the appropriate links below.
- General Application Form
- Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form
- Commission 1: Atrium Brief
- Commission 2: Piazza Brief
- Commission 3: Courtyard Brief
- Commission 4: External Garden Brief
- Commission 5: Artists Open Brief
Please note that the dates for optional site visits to the hospital have now changed to Monday 25th February or Wednesday 27th February. Please contact Charlotte Garner on 0161 247 4657 for more information.
