Art in Healthcare

16/06/2026

We are delighted to be taking part in the Healing Arts Scotland National Conference (15-19 June 2026)!

Part of a global campaign by the Jameel Arts & Health Lab and the World Health Organization (WHO), this initiative celebrates how the arts can transform public health and community wellbeing.

We are proud to be contributing to three events this week:

Sustaining Engagement with Underserved Communities [Wednesday the 17th of June]: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/event/healing-arts-scotland-national-conference-person

Environmental Enhancements in Healthcare Settings (in partnership with Tonic Arts) [Wednesday the 17th of June]: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/event/healing-arts-scotland-edinburgh-lothians-day

The Art of Health: Weaving Wellbeing Across Scotland [Thursday the 18th of June]: https://www.healingartsscotland.org/events/healing-arts-scotland-social-prescribing-forum

We hope to see you there!

16/06/2026

We were delighted to welcome Beth Davidson to work with us on a short-term contract in April and May in the role of Collection Assistant. Working as part of the collection team, Beth was given the task of reviewing artists and artworks from our collection, helping us update our records.

We invited Beth to share with us an artist and example of their work that they enjoyed discovering, and to share an insight here as part of our blog post series.

Read Beth’s Blog post, where she writes about the work of Carolyn Burchell, using the link below:

https://www.artinhealthcare.org.uk/2026/06/16/beth-davidson-blog-post/

09/06/2026

It’s Carers Week! This year’s theme is “Building Carer Friendly Communities”, focusing on recognising, understanding, and supporting unpaid carers locally and nationally

To celebrate, we are thrilled to share our ‘Creativity in Caregiving’ short video series created by artist Juliana Capes (who leads our Caring Spaces workshops). This series explores how simple creative activities can support everyday moments of care. In each video, Juliana shares practical ideas and small creative approaches she uses with the people she cares for.

Watch the series here: https://www.artinhealthcare.org.uk/2026/04/29/creativity-in-caregiving/

About Caring Spaces: Delivered in partnership with VOCAL Edinburgh, VOCAL Midlothian and Carers of East Lothian Carers Centre, we provide online and in-person workshops across Dalkeith, Leith, and Tranent.

This work is made possible thanks to our funder, Shared Care Scotland through their Short Breaks Fund!

Created by artist Juliana Capes, Creativity in Caregiving is a short series exploring how simple creative activities can support everyday moments of...Find out more

02/06/2026

This week we are celebrating Volunteers Week 2026! An annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering in their communities.

We held a wellbeing afternoon to thank our wonderful team of volunteers who support the Room For Art workshops - we couldn’t do the work we do without their kindness, compassion and generosity! Artist Kate Temple led us in a mindful afternoon, connecting to nature through ‘bundle dyeing’ and cyanotypes - these experimental art processes use fresh and dried plants to create amazing artworks which form like magic! The wonderful Bridgend Farmhouse provided a beautiful, peaceful setting for our afternoon.

A huge thanks to our volunteers and those across all other organisations!

01/06/2026

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded £13,300 from the Museum Futures Unlocking Potential Fund!

This funding will cover a two-year licence for our new Beacon CRM system, alongside all the essential setup, implementation, and staff training.

A huge thank you to Museums Galleries Scotland for supporting our growth and helping us unlock our potential!

26/05/2026

There are over 1,500 artworks in our collection, consisting of modern and contemporary pieces dating from the 1930s to the present day. The collection includes artworks by both established and emerging artists, including paintings, prints and photography.

We are proud to have works by many well known artists such as Elizabeth Blackadder, Alan Davie, Eduardo Paolozzi, Barbara Rae and many more.

We have established longstanding and are nurturing new working relationships with NHS Charities nationwide through our artwork loan scheme.

There are many benefits of having artworks on display:

-Improving mood

-Providing interest and distraction

-Reducing anxiety

-Making a space more welcoming for staff and visitors

Currently, over half of our collection is on display in health, social care and community spaces across Scotland, from Balfour Hospital in Orkney to Ayr University Hospital in Ayrshire. We are committed to increasing the number of people who experience our artwork.

We have recently created a new Art Collection Survey to gather feedback for our Artwork Loans. If you have experienced any of our artworks in a health or social care setting, we would love to hear your feedback!

Please visit:

https://forms.office.com/e/xDPKXGwnxt

Images: A selection of works from our collection in healthcare settings.

21/05/2026

Today we are celebrating this year's Creativity and Wellbeing Week theme of ‘Critical Hope’, through highlighting participant stories shared as part of our recent Room For Art exhibition held at Whale Arts. You can view all the stories featured, on the online exhibition via our website https://www.artinhealthcare.org.uk/2026/04/09/room-for-art-10-for-10/

‘Critical Hope’ is defined through Paulo Friere’s ‘Pedagogy of Hope’ as an active and necessary stance to inequalities, through realistic collective action, rather than passive optimism. Our weekly Room For Art workshops provides for its members a regular space for support, outlet for creative expression and connection with others.

All of our community programmes are underpinned by the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance’s ‘Creative Health Quality Framework’ which defines best practice while supporting people’s health and wellbeing.

A huge thanks to the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance for this years Creativity and Wellbeing Week theme!

20/05/2026

Our Collection Technician Apprentice Mina’s fourteenth ‘Caring for the Collection’ blog post is now live and can be read via the link below 👇

https://www.artinhealthcare.org.uk/2026/05/20/caring-for-the-collection-blog-14-studio-table-gordon-cameron/

This week, Mina writes about Gordon Cameron’s work ‘Studio Table’ which is part of the Art in Healthcare Collection.

Caring for the Collection is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund Scotland. Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to dedicate time to improve the condition of our artworks currently in our store, so that they will be able to be displayed in health and social care settings across Scotland.

Museum & Galleries Technician Modern Apprenticeship is supported by Museums Galleries Scotland provider of the apprenticeship, mentor and SCQF level 7.

Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund Scotland, Caring for the Collection is a project that will focus on Art in Healthcare’s...Find out more

13/05/2026

Our Collection Technician Apprentice Mina’s thirteenth ‘Caring for the Collection’ blog post is now live and can be read via the link below 👇

https://www.artinhealthcare.org.uk/2026/05/13/caring-for-the-collection-blog-13-mirage-ade-adesina/

This week, Mina writes about Ade Adesina’s work ‘Mirage’ which is part of the Art in Healthcare Collection.

Caring for the Collection is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund Scotland. Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to dedicate time to improve the condition of our artworks currently in our store, so that they will be able to be displayed in health and social care settings across Scotland.

Museum & Galleries Technician Modern Apprenticeship is supported by Museums Galleries Scotland provider of the apprenticeship, mentor and SCQF level 7.

Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund Scotland, Caring for the Collection is a project that will focus on Art in Healthcare’s...Find out more

12/05/2026

Thank you to The National Lottery Heritage Fund Scotland for spotlighting our work this