Nottingham City Hospital first in UK to receive very special art donation
Nottingham City Hospital is the very first setting in the UK to receive a donation from the Art for Healing Foundation, which is based in Canada.
Set up in 2002, the foundation has donated more than 13.500 works to healthcare institutions across the globe, with Lister 1 Ward at City Hospital being the first in the UK to receive one.
The ward now has two very special original art pieces by artist, Steve Driscoll, which patients will be able to enjoy.
The donation was kindly set up by former patient of Lister 1 Ward, Mike Burkinshaw who met Art for Healing members. Earl Pinchuk and Gary Blair at a conference in the USA and thought the initiative would greatly benefit the patients and staff on the ward, so got in touch with the arts programme at Nottingham University Hospitals, who then helped coordinate the initiative.
The arts programme is funded by Nottingham Hospitals Charity and aims to bring arts to the hospitals to improve patient, staff and visitor experience.
The artwork will become part of the Arts at NUH Programme and has since been officially unveiled by Earl Pinchuk and Gary Blair from the foundation, who came over all the way from Canada to personally present the artwork to the ward.
Former patient, Mike Burkinshaw who was at the unveiling event said: “It was really lovely to see. The photographs don’t do it justice. The photos are great but the artwork is just fabulous.
“When I was last on Lister Ward in 2021 there wasn’t really anything to look at but this is incredible. It feels like a new place.
“Real art is different and engaging and will make a big difference to the ward and the patients and staff on it. People will experience it. To me it’s not just a painting it is a welcome distraction to help patients take their mind off what’s happening.”
Earl Pinchuk from the Art for Healing Foundation said: “Art is our one true global language. It knows no nation, it favours no race, and it acknowledges no class. It speaks at our need to reveal, heal and transform. It transcends our ordinary lives and lets us imagine what is possible.”
Rebecca Childs Ward Manager for Lister 1 Ward added: “It is amazing to have this artwork, which has come all the way from Canada. We would like to thank both Mike and the Art for Healing Foundation for the kind donation, it will really make a difference to our patients and will help brighten up the ward.”
Pictured above L-R is: Art and Healing Foundation members Earl Pinchuk and Gary Blair with former patient Mike Burkinshaw