BareFooted Arts

06/05/2026

Reimagining Stories, a movement and reminiscence project, began at Coventry University Hospital today. Over the coming months, we’ll be working across the older care wards.
This project creates a space to meet people exactly where they are, responding to how they feel in the moment with care, attention, and openness.
A way of bringing the human into a clinical environment through movement, presence, and shared experience.

A quote from a lovely patient today:
“That has put me right that has. I wasn’t feeling like myself.”
There is something profound in coming back to ourselves through the body. In remembering that we are still dancers, still whole, still capable of connection, expression, and feeling.

With thanks to for their ongoing support as resident artist.

14/04/2026

We are very privileged to share moments of play, creativity, and connection with some wonderful families during what can be for them an incredibly challenging time.
Through these encounters, we create space for children to be fully themselves. not defined by the hospital around them and for parents and carers to catch those precious glimpses of their child as their playful, curious, joyful self. Moments of pride, connection, and togetherness that feel so important.
Thank you to everyone who lets us step into their world, even just for a little while 🌿


Photography

08/04/2026

A little glimpse of ‘In Comes the Countryside’ 🌿
Co-created for children and families in hospital, this gentle, child-led work meets each person exactly where they are, offering space for sensory play, imagination and connection at the bedside. From dancing leaves to butterflies, every moment invites playfulness and changes clinical spaces into places of surprise and wonder.

We’re so grateful to the children, families and staff who welcome us so openly and to those who trusted us to capture and share these moments. It feels like a real privilege 💛

🎶 Musician & Composer:
🎬 Performer & Director:
🎬 Filmmaker:

Made possible with support from

20/03/2026

Spring is in the air, and today we’re back at UHCW, bringing a little piece of the countryside right to the bedsides of children and their families. 🌿🐝
With music, movement , and a few curious creatures along the way (including this rather friendly wasp!), we’re looking forward to meeting some truly wonderful families across the wards. Our hope is to brighten the day, ease a little of the stress, and offer a gentle moment of escape and imagination.
It’s always a privilege to share these moments with families 💛

Made possible with support from

Photo credit:

20/02/2026

Today marked our first visit to the wards with In Comes the Countryside, the next chapter of our Barefooted hospital programme, gently bringing the sights, sounds, and feeling of the outdoors to children and their families at UHCW.
Through music, movement, and sensory play, we shared moments of calm, curiosity, and connection together on the wards.
One parent shared:
“This has brought us a joyous and relaxing experience as a family, please keep doing what you are doing, it is so needed for families like us.”
We’re so grateful to continue creating these small moments of togetherness during long hospital days 💛

With thanks to and all the families who welcome us into their spaces. And to and for supporting our work.

21/01/2026

We’re delighted to share that Barefooted has been awarded funding from the Matthew Good Foundation !
This support will help us continue our programme of creative health work with children, families and older communities; in hospitals, schools and outside in nature bringing people together and supporting health and wellbeing through movement, music and creativity.
Thank you for believing in the power of arts and health 💛

19/12/2025

A few snippets from our 2025.
Thank you to the communities who moved, created, and sang with us, and to the wonderful artists, funders, advisors and organisations who trusted us along the way.
We’re off for a short rest now, grateful, inspired, and full.
See you in 2026 🤍
Thank you: t__teaspoon__

Photo / film credits:

15/12/2025

We’re so happy to share the trailer for ‘In Comes a Winter’s Wish’, a gentle and magical festive experience created for children in hospital

Co-created alongside children and families on the wards, the show brings movement, music, puppetry, and sensory play into the hospital environment, transforming clinical spaces into places of imagination and possibility.

This work offers children and families a moment of distraction, joy, and normality from their hospital bed.

With heartfelt thanks to ARTS AT UHCW - University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire and the families who have helped shape the work.

This project is generously funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, and UHCW Charity - University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire Charity
Musician & Composer: Ben Heaney
Performer & Director: Lucy Knight
Filmmaker: Oojamaflick
Design & Puppets:

An interactive performance for children in hospital, bringing the magic of winter to the bedside.

06/11/2025

What if your next team day took place in the woods?
We host bespoke nature-based creative retreats for companies, arts organisations and teams who want to unplug, reconnect and rediscover creativity.

Ready to step outside? 🍂🍃🍁

Do you know a team who’d love this? Please share or tag them. 💫💫💫

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🎤

03/11/2025

✨ Rehearsals are complete and our hearts are full! ❤️
We can’t wait to bring a little winter’s magic to the wards from next week and throughout the Christmas period. 🌟

❄️ ‘In Comes a Winter’s Wish’ has been co-created with children and families on the wards, sharing joy, connection, and imagination. 💫

Here’s to a winter full of wishes come true! ✨

Design & Puppets
Musician & Composer –
Performer & Director –

Made possible with support from and 💙

07/08/2025

And as day 2 of our creative nature retreat comes to a close, a little reflection on ‘The power of the pause’ …

As we arrived and gathered in the woods on the first morning of the retreat, something quiet and unexpected happened.

Before any activities.
Before any stories were shared.
Before names were even exchanged.

A number of participants spoke of feeling emotional.

And it made sense.

There is something deeply moving about carving out time for yourself. About stepping out of the rush of life and into stillness.

About sitting in a circle, in the woods, and being seen, gently, without expectation.

Sometimes, when we finally pause, everything we’ve been holding begins to soften.

The air, the trees, the birdsong… they hold us. And the body remembers what it means to belong.
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This project was able to happen because of the generous support from our funders and partners and