17 Feb 2010
The art of improving health and wellbeing for SA families
The WCH Foundation launched the Arts in Health program on Thursday 28 January.
Hospital visits, and any subsequent medical treatment, are often scary and daunting experiences for patients – particularly for young children and their parents. The Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation is hoping to improve that experience for South Australian families with the introduction of an Arts in Health Program. Designed to inspire innovative approaches to the state’s health care, the Program will be launched by John Hill, Minister for Health and Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts, on Thursday, January 28.
“There is a growing appreciation that integrating arts into the health environment improves people’s health and wellbeing,” said Trish Hansen, Executive Manager of Programs at the WCH Foundation. “Arts and Health have always sought to explore and understand the human condition and formally bringing the two sectors together with the shared purpose of improving people’s health and wellbeing, makes good sense”.
“Humanising the physical environment to be a meaningful, people friendly uplifting and beautiful place is an important aspect of the program” Trish explains “and by bringing an Arts lens and arts thinking to health, we hope to inspire innovative approaches to health care, evoke positive and pleasurable sensory experiences for staff, families and the hospital community. The arts have a unique capacity to overcome many of the traditional challenges familiar to the health environment such as cultural and linguistic diversity, literacy, disability, age and more,”
The WCH Foundation Arts in Health Program consists of four areas, including visual and performing arts, public art and design projects as well as music and art therapy. A range of activities will be delivered over the next five years and the program will also focus on improving the design and functionality of public spaces at the Hospital.
Annalise Rees has taken box art to new heights with her stunning sculptural creations that explore the concept of place. For the Arts in Health launch, we asked Annalise to create a work from ‘gifts’ provided by the guests at the launch. Minister Hill even donated an ambulance!
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