Latest news
Stories from the Pandemic
The newest exhibition for the STH galleries
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This very special project began as a city wide project led by Opus Independents in partnership with Compassionate Sheffield and Sheffield City Council and was first shown at Millennium Galleries, Sheffield Museums.
This project provides a chance for remembrance, to capture the stories of those who lived through such an era-defining period of upheaval. We hope to give some space "to remember the acts of kindness, support positive change and remember those we have lost."
As part of the same project there is a film 'A Lasting Testimony From Sheffield' which is recently released and available to all to watch, find it on: sheffieldstoriesfromthepandemic.com
In & Out of Hospital
a creative intervention arts programme for patients and staff at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals
Our 76 page book 'In & Out of Hospital' has just been published, covering 6 years of creative intervention projects with in- and outpatients at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.
We developed a tailored programme of activities co-designed with artists and hospital specialists that were accessible and responded to the needs and abilities of different patients groups.
The programme was generously funded by Sheffield Hospitals Charity and Arts Council England and supported by our partner organisations: University of Sheffield Department for Music, Sheffield Museums and Yorkshire Artspace
Order your digital or physical copy by email mir.jansen@nhs.net
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Our National Health Stories
Voices from the heart of the NHS
Launched on the 75th birthday of the NHS, Our National Health Stories was a major national programme of artistic work that took place in 19 hospital settings to give NHS staff and volunteers a chance to tell their stories to commemorate and celebrate this unique organisation.
Poet Susan Downer and visual artist Mir Jansen asked staff at STH to draw, record sounds and write poetry about their daily working lives and work environments. This was handed over to choreographer Crystal Zillwood and composer Chris Bevan.
Our live performance event of dance, song, sound, poetry and animation, Hand over Hand, was staged and filmed on 30th November at Theatre Deli Sheffield. Worth watching here
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New Photographs for Neurology Department
Bringing the outdoors inside
This summer saw the install of new images across the Neurology department ward, L floor, Royal Hallamshire Hospital. Most of the images were taken by staff and patients from the Neurology department and depict landmarks, landscapes, and wildlife from in and around Sheffield and the Peak District, celebrating the beauty of the local area. These art works create a welcoming environment and warm atmosphere and a potential talking point for patients, visitors, staff, and aim to enhance wellbeing through seeing the outdoors inside.
Sheffield Hospitals Charity supported the printing and installation of the beautiful photographs. The project began in 2019, and after being on hold during the Covid-19 crisis, re-commenced and completed in 2023.
Our National Health Stories
Voices from the heart of the NHS
Our National Health Stories is a major national programme of artistic work taking place in 19 hospital settings, giving NHS staff and volunteers a chance to tell their stories in the organisation’s 75th year.
A national team, led by Artistic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah (formerly acting as paramedic Finlay Newton in the BBC TV drama Casualty) is himself a “child of the NHS”. He and his creative team will respond to the drawings, recordings and words gathered by all participating NHS Trusts and create a national event that will be live- streamed in November 2023
Our very own Sheffield Teaching Hospitals’ project will take place over the next 5 months when a visual artist, creative writer, composer and choreographer will work with staff and volunteers at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals to draw, record sounds, write poetry, sing and dance and create an event that will be staged in November 2023, in front of a live audience in Sheffield.
STH staff and volunteers are invited to draw, record sounds, write, sing and/or dance. You can also help out behind the scenes to prepare for our finale performance event.
Sign up for our creative writing workshops or order your drawing art pack or poetry postcard pack, publicity leaflet and guidelines by email from sth.arts@nhs.net
more information can be found on www.ourNHStories.org.uk
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Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
'Take a Moment', an exhibition featuring work by artists from ArtWorks South Yorkshire (ArtWorks SY) was unveiled at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on Friday 17 March.
The artwork is the first to be displayed in the Trust’s new Vickers Link art gallery, which opened the same day and is located in the Vickers building at the Northern General Hospital.
The exhibition was made possible by supporters of Sheffield Hospitals Charity and was curated by the Trust’s Arts in Health team.
Arts Coordinator Shamse Hassan said, ‘We are delighted to see a new gallery space opening in our hospitals, it has taken perseverance, with the amazing support from Sheffield Hospitals Charity, our Estates team, and many administrative colleagues who have helped us to make this possible. We are delighted with it and feel privileged to have worked in partnership with ArtWorks to bring this beautiful exhibition to our patients, visitors, and colleagues.
The unveiling was attended by Kirsten Major, Chief Executive at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Kirsten said ‘It is absolutely fantastic to be here today to open this new gallery at the Northern General Hospital. I am delighted that so many of you who created the artwork are here. As you can see this corridor has a very high footfall which means that lots of people will be able to enjoy these moments of brightness on what can be very tough days. Artwork like this allows people to stop, look and pause and makes a real difference to people’.
Wanted – freelance artist to deliver NHS Stories project to celebrate 75th Anniversary
The NHS was born on 5 July 1948, which means it will be 75 years old this year. We'd like to celebrate this achievement by commissioning an artist who can delve into the stories of current and former members of staff at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.
If you're an experienced artist who likes to engage with people from all backgrounds to gather stories spanning 75 years of the life of our hospitals and community services in Sheffield, then this could be the opportunity for you. We anticipate that the stories will lead to a participation event in November/December 2023.
Artist fee: 32 days at £250 per day inc. VAT (plus a materials and production budget).
For the full brief and application process, click here.
Deadline: 25 May 2023
New art gallery and exhibition at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
'Take a Moment', an exhibition featuring work by artists from ArtWorks South Yorkshire (ArtWorks SY) was unveiled at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on Friday 17 March.
The artwork is the first to be displayed in the Trust’s new Vickers Link art gallery, which opened the same day and is located in the Vickers building at the Northern General Hospital.
The exhibition was made possible by supporters of Sheffield Hospitals Charity and was curated by the Trust’s Arts in Health team.
Arts Coordinator Shamse Hassan said, ‘We are delighted to see a new gallery space opening in our hospitals, it has taken perseverance, with the amazing support from Sheffield Hospitals Charity, our Estates team, and many administrative colleagues who have helped us to make this possible. We are delighted with it and feel privileged to have worked in partnership with ArtWorks to bring this beautiful exhibition to our patients, visitors, and colleagues.
The unveiling was attended by Kirsten Major, Chief Executive at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Kirsten said ‘It is absolutely fantastic to be here today to open this new gallery at the Northern General Hospital. I am delighted that so many of you who created the artwork are here. As you can see this corridor has a very high footfall which means that lots of people will be able to enjoy these moments of brightness on what can be very tough days. Artwork like this allows people to stop, look and pause and makes a real difference to people’.
New group patient arts activity sessions launched on our wards
Since the first group patient arts activity session resumed on one of our wards at the Hallamshire in June 2022 (still going strong!), we have launched a number of new sessions to help improve the patient experience.
Sessions are now up and running on the Neonatal ward at Jessops, the Neurorehabilitation unit, and a geriatric ward at the Hallamshire, with several more planned in the coming months, including our dedicated dementia ward at the Northern General, Brearley 7.
We know that these sessions make a big difference to patients by providing an opportunity for them to get away from their beds, chat with our friendly volunteers and fellow patients, have a go at a fun and relaxing activity, and singalong to some uplifting tunes.
Glenys, a long-stay patient on our neurorehabilitation unit, recently came along to a gel block printing session. Afterwards she told us, 'Brilliant - I've loved every minute. I've never done anything like this before. I'm really proud of that. I can't wait for the next one.'
Big thanks goes to supporters of Sheffield Hospitals Charity who fund all the lovely resources, which help make these sessions possible.
'Leaves an Impression'
Staff Art Club - print exhibition
The Arts in Health team are delighted to announce a new exhibition in the Seven Hills Gallery, C floor, Huntsman building, Northern General Hospital.
'Leaves an Impression' is a selection of colourful monoprints created in our sixth staff art club that took place at The Millennium Galleries in October. The sessions were expertly led by Rezwana Farin Sarkar, a local professional painter/printmaker with a studio at Yorkshire Artspace.
The workshops were accessed by 60 staff members, hospital volunteers and some of their children.
Voice Works project to be celebrated at Festival of the Mind on 23 Sep 2022
In March 2022, we started a 20-week project with and for patients with Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction, a chronic condition that affects a person’s breathing and use of voice. The project was a collaboration between Arts in Health and Speech & Language Therapy (both linked to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals), the Department for Music Psychology at University of Sheffield, and professional singer/voice coach Michael Bonshor.
We are celebrating the end of this project on Friday 23 September 2–3pm at the Festival of the Mind’s unique and beautiful pop-up venue The Spiegeltent. It is located in Barkers Pool, Sheffield city centre, opposite The City Hall.
Please come and join us. We will share our research findings, present a specially commissioned podcast by composer Chris Bevan, and invite the audience to take part in a short and fun practical singing session. It is free to attend and there is no need to book. We look forward to welcoming you.
This project was funded by Sheffield Hospitals Charity, Arts Council England, and the University of Sheffield’s Knowledge Exchange Programme.
Group patient arts activity sessions resume at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals
The past three weeks have seen the reintroduction of group patient arts activity sessions on one of our wards at the Royal Hallamshire after a gap over two years due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Volunteers Grace and Kate assisted Arts Activities Coordinator Kathryn Stones in facilitating the first two sessions with Grace and Kate enthusiastically taking the sessions forward from this week.
We received the following heart-warming responses from patients who took part:
'Really nice to come away from the bay, forget the reason why we're in hospital, have a laugh, and enjoy the hour. Wonderful and a much-needed break. Loved it!!' Wayne, patient.
'This was a fun, stress-free, creative session that was much appreciated. Thank you so much - it has taken my mind off my illness.' Andrea, patient.
And there's more enjoyment to come - additional group arts activity sessions are planned across the Trust in the coming weeks.
Osborn Reception Foyer Art Project Complete
In 2021, the Sheffield Hospitals Charity supported the renovation of the foyer area at the Princess Royal Spinal Cord Injuries Centre in Osborn building, Northern General Hospital.
Talented artist, Jacqui Symons, led a series of art workshops for patients at the Princess Royal Spinal Cord Injuries Centre as part of a two-year project that started in 2020. The workshops provided a creative and relaxing atmosphere for patients with spinal cord injuries to try different forms of printmaking using watercolour and ink.
Local Artist's Painting Donation Unveiled
A beautiful artwork by local artist, Lauren Woodcock, depicting the Clocktower building, which was donated to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust by the artist, was unveiled at the Northern General Hospital on Friday 29 April, by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals' Chief Executive, Kirsten Major. The painting is part of an exhibition showcasing other paintings and prints by the artist at the Seven Hills Gallery, Huntsman building, Northern General Hospital.
The artwork has been gifted to the Trust as a gesture of gratitude to the NHS, and was created by Lauren Woodcock, who uses the artist name MUT in her work. Living and working locally, Lauren painted prolifically during lockdown and produced many paintings of local landmarks and places loved by people in South Yorkshire.
Wall of Thanks Grows Across the Trust
Following the well-received ‘Wall of Thanks’ exhibition at the Northern General Hospital in August 2020, the Arts in Health team offered departments across all five hospital sites the opportunity to obtain some of the artwork for display. We had a significant response from staff resulting in almost 60 pieces of artwork now proudly adorning the walls of wards, offices, lobbies and staff rooms across the Trust.
These bright and uplifting rainbow images of thanks were designed by family members of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals’ staff as a way of expressing gratitude to NHS and keyworker colleagues for their hard work and sacrifices during the Covid-19 pandemic. The hope is that these images will serve as a lasting reminder for staff, patients and visitors of the extraordinary and challenging events that we have all lived and worked through since 2020.
Arts in Health would like to extend a big thank you to our colleagues in the Estates department for their invaluable help with the installations.
New Ward Activities Volunteers helping to spread some cheer on our wards
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A big warm welcome and thank you to all our lovely new Ward Activities Volunteers helping to make time spent on the wards at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals much brighter for our patients with a good ole natter and the chance to try some fun activities, including our popular new Pick Me Up Pages, all generously funded by supporters of Sheffield Hospitals Charity.
Find out more about volunteering with Arts in Health here or email sth.arts@nhs.net
New Artist Exhibition at the Seven Hills Gallery
We are very happy to announce the latest exhibition in the Seven Hills Gallery at the Northern General Hospital. After advertising, we received a high interest from local and national artists to exhibit work
in the hospital gallery, and Kate Grant was selected by the Arts in Health team and a selection committee made up of some of our brilliant colleagues from the Trust and Charity.
Kate is the third artist to exhibit in our gallery since it opened in 2020. The artist is a doctor at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, at the Genito Urinary Medicine clinic, A&E, and also a GP. The exhibition features 27 portraits of the artist’s colleagues and friends, all painted during the period between February 2020 and November 2021 (the latest one was painted and sent last week). The portraits are of our NHS colleagues, going about their day-to-day jobs. The artist said: 'I wanted to paint some portraits of my colleagues during their everyday activity at work at the Hospital and GP surgeries where I worked to lift morale. It was about the staff. We spend our lives in an occupation that we do not document with photographs.'
'Hope Blooms': Nancy Horton's beautiful and poignant floral rainbow of thanks available to buy
Nancy Horton, former Medical Photography employee at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals created this beautiful image as part of our 'Wall of Thanks' exhibition displayed in our Seven Hills Gallery back in August 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Order your print - A4 size (£10)
or A3 size (£12) at the Sheffield Hospitals Charity shop at the Northern General Hospital or on their website here - http://bit.ly/3wKdp4l
Funds raised will go towards the work of our Arts in Health department at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Creative Writing workshops with Genevieve Carver for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals staff and volunteers
We are pleased to announce that Sheffield-based poet, writer and performer Genevieve Carver will be leading Creative Writing workshops for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals staff and volunteers starting later this month. The project is part of our Staff Art Club and funded by Sheffield Hospitals Charity and Arts Council England.
Genevieve was selected from over 85 creative writer applicants. Her poetry has been widely published and her first collection, A Beautiful Way to be Crazy, was published by Verve Poetry Press in 2020. She has received a number of literary accolades including the National Poetry Competition, Troubadour International Poetry Prize and White Review Poetry Prize.
New Jo Peel Mural at Sexual Health
Local artist Jo Peel, whose
work adorns many Sheffield buildings and landmarks, was commissioned by the Sexual Health department to paint a mural on the walls of their main entrance and stairs. Jo and her team of artist assistants completed this beautiful mural this September.
The artwork bears Jo Peel’s signature style of painting
and drawing, with her well-loved depiction of Sheffield scenery: the juxtaposition
of the urban – bricks and cranes – and the natural – trees and leaves intertwining amongst the buildings.
You can see more of Jo’s work and what else she has been doing on her website, https://www.jopeel.com/
For enquiries, please email sth.arts@nhs.net
Cath Dunn artwork for sale
Local artist Cath Dunn’s beautiful Sheffield and Peak District-inspired artwork, currently displayed in our Seven Hills Gallery at the Northern General, is now available to buy.
Click here to view the artwork and find out about the inspiration behind each piece, together with the dimensions and prices. You can also learn a bit more about Cath Dunn as an artist in her short biography.
Artwork sales include the contemporary frames, which are fire-safe to display on hospital walls, but will also look stunning adorning the wall of your home.
Click here to download a full list of all the artwork and prices.
Commission on any artworks sold will go to Sheffield Hospitals Charity, who generously fund the Gallery, and will help towards supporting the work of Arts in Health at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.
For purchase enquiries, please email sth.arts@nhs.net
Exciting opportunity for a creative writer to work with staff at our hospitals
Opportunity: We are looking to commission a Creative Writer to deliver a series of 8 workshop sessions for our staff.
Staff Art Club: We have recently set up our Staff Art Club, co-funded by Sheffield Hospitals Charity and Arts Council England, to give employees at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals the opportunity to develop new creative interests that help support their general and mental health & wellbeing during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Although we anticipate these workshops to be of therapeutic benefit, they are not 'therapy'. Reflection on recent/past times can, and probably will be part of the sessions, however, they are not intended to provide psychological support to address the traumatic experiences caused by the pandemic. Rather, we are aiming to provide a creative outlet for our staff and for it to be a positive, joyful, restorative, energising, hopeful, imaginative and social experience.
New artist exhibition in the Seven Hills Gallery
We are very happy to announce the latest exhibition in our Seven Hills Gallery at the Northern General Hospital.
As a local artist, inspired by the Peak District, Cath Dunn’s work captures the vibrant beauty of Sheffield's surrounding hills, moors, woodlands and treasured countryside, and brings these uplifting elements of nature inside our hospital building for all to enjoy.
The work is also available to buy - please email us sth.arts@nhs.net for more information.
Commission on any artworks sold will go to Sheffield Hospitals Charity, who generously fund the Gallery, and will help towards supporting the work of Arts in Health at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.
Volunteer with us!
Could you spare a few hours a week?
We're looking for friendly volunteers to help our patients take part in creative activities.
You don't need to be an expert - if you think you'd enjoy chatting and encouraging patients to get creative, we'd love to hear from you!
Visit http://bttr.im/ib835 for more information or to apply.
Damien Hirst Donation Unveiled
A beautiful artwork by Damien Hirst, titled Butterfly Rainbow, which was donated to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, was unveiled at Northern General Hospital on Wednesday 19 May. Chief Executive Kirsten Major unveiled the artwork, which will be permanently displayed at the main entrance of the Huntsman building at Northern General Hospital.
The artwork, created by Hirst, was one of more than 60 prints offered to various hospital Trusts across the country, and is made up of bands of coloured butterfly wings, one of the artist’s best‐known motifs.
Staff Art Club - Print and Ceramics Courses
In September 2020, we launched our Staff Art Club. The first series of six workshops focused on mosaics and our second on printmaking, with the work produced by staff proudly exhibited in our Seven Hills Gallery at the Northern General. We had lots of positive feedback from staff who visited the exhibition and an overwhelming response to the advertisement for Staff Art Club #3.
The third series of workshops has focused on ceramics, delivered by award-winning artist Jenny Chan who is teaching our participants how to make a ceramic face mask. We've been working in collaboration with Liz Waring, visual arts curator at Museums Sheffield, who selected and presented some famous portraits from their collection as inspiration.
Boredom Buster #2
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er 2021
After the success of Boredom Buster #1, we are pleased to announce we have just taken delivery of 1,000 copies of the second edition. This time, the theme is around the restorative properties of our natural environment and is packed with fun facts and lots of things to do and make to keep our patients occupied during their time in hospital.
This is a collaborative 48-page newspaper produced by University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Trust, Culture Weston and the National Performance and Advisory Group Arts, Design and Heritage in Hospitals Network. To order your copies, please email sth.arts@nhs.net with the number of copies required, contact name, ward number and hospital site.
NHS staff art exhibition unveiled
An exhibition of beautiful staff artwork was unveiled on Friday 12th March, at the Seven Hills Gallery, Huntsman Building C floor, Northern General Hospital.
We delivered online creative skills sessions for over 30 members of staff between September 2020 and February 2021, to support staff health and wellbeing. The sessions, delivered through Microsoft Teams, were led by mosaic artist Coralie Turpin and illustrator/printmaker Jamie Mills, both based at Yorkshire Artspace.
Seven Hills Gallery
After a call out to staff earlier in the year, and following consultation with the Arts in Health team staff and representatives from PEC, a name was chosen for the art gallery. The Seven Hills Gallery is situated on the Huntsman dining room corridor on D floor, where the ‘Wall of Thanks’ was on display.
The gallery’s aims are to enhance the hospital environment for patients, visitors and staff by making it feel brighter and more welcoming. Arts in Health want to help patients and visitors feel more relaxed by showing beautiful, calming and interesting artworks, whilst also providing the opportunity for artists to exhibit their work professionally in a busy public space.
The Seven Hills Gallery is kindly funded by Sheffield Hospitals Charity, and the commission on any artworks sold will go to them. All the artwork currently on display is for sale. For enquiries, please contact sth.arts@nhs.net
First artist exhibition in the Seven Hills Gallery
Early in 2020, Arts in Health put out a call for artists and were thrilled to receive 55 applications from around the UK and beyond! The first two artists to exhibit were chosen from this selection by a panel including members of the Arts in Health team, a senior clinician and one of the Trust’s Public Governors.
Seven Hills Gallery
After a call out to staff earlier in the year, and following consultation with the Arts in Health team staff and representatives from PEC, a name was chosen for the art gallery. The Seven Hills Gallery is situated on the Huntsman dining room corridor on D floor, where the ‘Wall of Thanks’ was on display.
The gallery’s aims are to enhance the hospital environment for patients, visitors and staff by making it feel brighter and more welcoming. Arts in Health want to help patients and visitors feel more relaxed by showing beautiful, calming and interesting artworks, whilst also providing the opportunity for artists to exhibit their work professionally in a busy public space.
The Seven Hills Gallery is kindly funded by Sheffield Hospitals Charity, and the commission on any artworks sold will go to them. All the artwork currently on display is for sale. For enquiries, please contact sth.arts@nhs.net
Radiographers get arty this Christmas!
The radiography department approached us during the Covid-19 outbreak with a special request for arts resources for their staff to enjoy during their breaks with the aim of helping counteract some of the additional stresses and pressure they are likely to be experiencing at this difficult time.
With funding from Sheffield Hospitals Charity, we put together an art box stocked with a variety of arts & crafts materials, including glitter pens, patterned paper and sparkly stick on gem stones.
Staff Art Club – mosaics course
On Thursday 17 September 2020, we are launching our brand new Staff Art Club. The first series of six workshops will focus on mosaics and is being delivered by experienced artist and workshop leader Coralie Turpin via Microsoft Teams (video conferencing). We are working in collaboration with Museums Sheffield, choosing works of art in their collection as inspiration. Staff will receive their own mosaic kit and Coralie will show examples, demonstrate cutting and placing skills, and offer one-to-one support.
Wall of Thanks Exhibition
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals’ Chief Executive, Kirsten Major, unveiled our ‘Wall of Thanks’ on 4 August 2020 in the brand new gallery corridor at the Northern General Hospital. Images of colourful rainbows, flowers and hearts were created by children and families of our hospital staff and local residents and now serve as a tribute to the workforce of all our hospitals and community services.
Boredom Buster #1 Summer 2020
Jam packed with mood-enhancing articles, fun activities, games and puzzles, this is a collaborative 48-page newspaper produced by University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Trust, Culture Weston and the National Performance and Advisory Group Arts, Design and Heritage in Hospitals Network. To order your copies, contact sth.arts@nhs.net with the number of copies required, contact name, ward number and hospital site.
Make your own Rainbow Suncatcher
For National Creativity and Wellbeing Week 2020, the Arts in Health team would like to invite you and your household to try out this fun Rainbow Suncatcher craft to display in your window at home. The rainbow has become the international symbol of hope during the Corona Virus outbreak with bright and colourful rainbow-themed artwork springing up in windows across the world helping to convey heartfelt messages of thanks to healthcare and other key workers, as well as being a beacon of hope in the communities.
See older stories in our News Archive
The Arts in Health team relies on the goodwill of our dedicated team of volunteers. We also regularly work with professional artists and musicians on a variety of creative projects across the Trust.