Covid-19 Response - Art in Hospital

Image shows remote working; experimenting with an artist video demonstration by Alan Lyons,
available through the new Art in Hospital online resource Looking Through a Window

Image shows remote working; experimenting with the artist video demonstration by Art in Hospital Artist Alan Lyons - available through our new online resource Looking Through a Window

#whatwedo

Art in Hospital:
Responding to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Crisis

There have been a great many changes for all of us over a short period of time and, under normal circumstances, we would be running our art programmes in hospitals and care homes across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

During this uncertain time, the health and wellbeing of patients, artists, staff and their families is our absolute priority. We remain committed to supporting all those with whom we work.

We are adapting our hands-on approach to working with patients and staff in our core programmes in response to the restrictions brought about through the Covid 19 crisis.

Our artists have been exploring and developing new ways of working. We have adopted a multi-strand approach, delivered by our dedicated team of 12 artists, supported by the nursing and clinical staff, NHS Activities Coordinators and other hospital and care home staff to ensure the continued delivery of our programme.

We made the difficult decision to postpone our series of seminars At the Heart of the Matter, originally due to take place in the New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, in June 2020. We are considering options for rescheduling or reimagining the project through digital means. (Updates will be posted through our Twitter and Instagram accounts).

Left: Ruby Shield, Untitled (Detail), crayon and pencil on paper, 2020. Working with artists Maria Doyle and Alison Newman and assisted by activities coordinator Alasdair Dean. Wards 51 - 55, Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Langlands Bldg, QEUH. Middle: Art materials, remote project sets and stay in touch cards recently sent to patients and residents from our projects. Right: Betty Hunter, Untitled, aquarelle on paper, 2020. Working with artists Maria Doyle, Alan Lyons and Daisy Richardson. Assisted by Activities Coordinators Cammy, Jo and Michaela. Greenfield Park Care Home. | Images: @art.in.hospital.

#postalpacks

Strand 1: Postal Packs

We are providing parcels of art materials, activities and project sheets, inspirational material and stay in touch cards to send in to the projects, patients and residents we would normally be working with in person. These have been sent out to patients in our current programme across NHSGGC: at the Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Langlands Building, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital; Gartnavel General Hospital; New Victoria Hospital; Greenfield Park Care Home and Physically Disabled Rehabilitation Unit at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

As part of this initiative, a named artist provides regular contact with each ward and care home. Where possible, they have made contact with individual patients and staff by phone or online video, and have produced and shared some short video demonstrations, using simple drawing and painting techniques to get started. This has been possible with the support of Activities Coordinators and other hospital and care home staff members.

In parallel, Postal Packs have been developed for NHS staff in the R&R (Rest & Recuperation) Hubs. Individual parcels of art materials and drawing books, together with art activity sheets and contact information have been prepared and sent out. Staff are also able to access art activity sheets and sources of inspiration on their mobile or tablet computer via the online strand Looking Through A Window. By May, over 160 packs had been sent to the Hubs at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital; Glasgow Royal Infirmary; Gartnavel General Hospital; Inverclyde Royal Hospital; Royal Alexandria Hospital; and to staff at PDRU, New Victoria Hospital and Greenfield Park Care Home.

This work is ongoing and can be extended to other areas of healthcare and more staff across NHSGGC, depending on demand, with more packs and a wider resource.

Left: 160 Sketchbook sets being sent out to NHS staff and carers in hospitals and care homes. Each contains a small sketchbook, pencil, sharpener and a sketchbook ideas sheet. Middle: More art materials and resources heading to our remote projects. Right: Nell Wright, Untitled (Nell in her garden), Oil pastel on paper, 2020. Working with artists Maria Doyle and Alison Newman and assisted by activities coordinator Alasdair Dean. Wards 51 - 55, Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Langlands Bldg, QEUH. | Images: @art.in.hospital

Left: 160 Sketchbook sets being sent out to NHS staff and carers in hospitals and care homes. Each contains a small sketchbook, pencil, sharpener and a sketchbook ideas sheet. Middle: More art materials and resources heading to our remote projects.
Right: Nell Wright, Untitled (Nell in her garden), Oil pastel on paper, 2020. Working with artists Maria Doyle and Alison Newman and assisted by activities coordinator Alasdair Dean. Wards 51 - 55, Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Langlands Bldg, QEUH. | Images: @art.in.hospital

#throughawindow

Strand 2: Looking Through A Window
www.aih-throughawindow.com

The Art in Hospital artists have created an online resource that helps patients to continue accessing the Art in Hospital programme. Providing a window to the arts, the resource draws together a broad range of material developed to inspire and support patients, staff and Care providers in making their own art. Activity sheets have been made so users can create artwork at their own pace. The site is monitored and the addition of more activities and source materials is ongoing.

Beyond those patients and staff we are reaching out to through the different strands of activity across NHSGCC outlined here, this online resource helps us to reach a broader group of users, including family and friends and for the wider audience interested in art, health, culture and wellbeing.

These activities can be done from a bed on the ward, on a break from caring for patients or from home. They are for anyone with five minutes to spare. - All that is needed to get started is a pencil and some paper.

Each of the images above shows details from the the new Art in Hospital online resource Looking Through a Window (shown here on tablet and smartphone devices), as part of remote creative practices. Middle: a series of flower photographs for inspiration alongside a video demonstration by Art in Hospital Artist Maria Doyle. Right: Drawing Activity Sheet.

#drawingtogether

Strand 3: Drawing Together

Artist Alison Newman describes Drawing Together as the act of pulling resources together in the NHS, in society, bringing staff, patients and artists together through making art, at a time when we are most isolated. We are exploring how we can connect and share the work; drawing together our projects. Two approaches are outlined here.

Online Gallery
We are making use of social media as a way to share work, developing our Instagram gallery. Work created by patients is returned through the postal project, and uploaded to the Art in Hospital Instagram feed, and on the online resource Looking Through a Window. This helps us to stay connected across different sites (physical and online) during this time.

Autogramme
The title of this project references messages, like a telegram sent from afar, mailed during times of adversity. It connects to postcard communications, the provision of materials and surfaces for drawing on, sharing ideas and images, helping us to stay connected from wherever we are.

It involves the making of handmade books, gathering artwork from across all the strands outlined, collating it into a series of small books. This serves also to unite the projects through the physical binding, and also through the action of shared contribution from the various projects.

Left: Dr Stefanie Lip, A typical working day, Watercolour on paper, 2020, QEUH. Right: Emily Rae, Favourite view from the window of the day room, Oil pastel on paper, 2020. Working with artists Maria Doyle and Alison Newman and assisted by activities coordinator Alasdair Dean. Wards 51 - 55, Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Langlands Bldg, QEUH. | Images: @stefanielipartgallery and @art.in.hospital.

#lookingforwards

Looking Forwards

Through these different strands of activity, we have moved quickly to respond to this developing situation in order to continue to support patients, residents and staff. The work is being monitored and documented to ensure that the projects respond to the changing situation in the hospitals and care homes.

As part of Arts Culture Health and Wellbeing Scotland (ACHWS), we are also working closely with artists, partner organisations and specialist networks across Scotland and the UK as part of a wider discussion to find ways to support the culture, health and wellbeing sector during the Covid-19 crisis and beyond.

As the situation evolves over the coming months, we will start planning what comes next. Updates will be posted through our Instagram and Twitter accounts. If you have any feedback or questions, please do get in touch with us through those channels..

We are very much missing working with patients, staff and carers in the hospitals and care homes, and look forward to returning when we can.

Stay safe.
Barbara McEwan Gulliver, Director

Left: Papers and parcels sent out for Art in Hospital's 'Autogramme' project, developed by artist Alison Newman. Middle: More art materials and activities being sent out to our projects Right: Drawing (Detail) by Lauren, 2020. Physically Disabled Rehabilitation Unit, QEUH. Working with artists Maria Doyle and Belinda Guidi, assisted by Lead Nurse Hazel Elliott and Lead Nurse Morag Leighton | Images: @art.in.hospital.

@art.in.hospital instagram gallery: recent posts

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#contactus

Art in Hospital
Room 3.47, New Lister Building,
Glasgow Royal Infirmary,
10-16 Alexandra Parade,
Glasgow, G31 2ER

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