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Winter News from Art at the Heart of the RUH
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As I write my introduction to our newsletter I see a very wintry sky from my window! But the days are slowly getting lighter and there is plenty to keep us busy as always!

We have just completed a visual ‘Wish List’ for art for the Cancer Care Centre which will help Art at the Heart establish a vision of how the Centre might look. Central to our vision is nature and ‘Bringing the Outside In’, this means that the approach to the clinical care and the build itself will be considered together to create a truly holistic environment.

The Forever Friends Appeal fundraising target for this aspect of the build is £250,000 and they will be welcoming small to larger donations from the public; please let me know if you can help in any way.  It’s possible to download a PDF of our Art Wish list and if you would like to be involved through either donations to reach our target or be part of the consultation process for the Cancer Centre’s art and design strategy, then please contact Art at the Heart.

Another development for Art at the Heart concerns the transition of services from the Min: The Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (RNHRD) to the RUH site, which is programmed to take place over the next three years. Our role will be to manage the arts and heritage associated with the Min and ensures that its heritage is kept intact. Watch this space for further developments…

I hope you enjoy reading about our core projects in this newsletter and as always we would like to hear feedback on your experiences around the arts programme at the RUH.
Hetty Dupays, Arts Programme Manager

Exhibition Programme

Winter - Spring  (23th January – 17th April 2015)

Bath Open Studios (BOS) and Old Bakery Artist (OBA)
Central Corridor / Zone B / Ground Floor


In anticipation of the 4 Open Art Trails, Bear Flat, Larkhall, Newbridge and Widcombe, which are once again taking place in the month of May, a selection of wall hung pieces are on show in the central corridor. Brought together by Bath Open Studios (BOS) in collaboration with the Art at the Heart Team at the RUH. Around 100 works are on show including paintings, mixed media, prints, mosaics and photography.
 
Midsomer Norton and Radstock area Art Group, Old Bakery Artists, are exhibiting a fantastic array of their latest artwork. This winter they return to Art at the Heart of the RUH with a 12 week show that promises to be a colourful exhibition with something for everyone - from abstract and contemporary to figurative and traditional works. Each artist has used his or her preferred medium, whether it is oil, acrylic, watercolour, photography or mixed media. Featuring calming landscapes, animal portraits and unusual abstract creations, this show is a real eye opener.
 

“Visiting the RUH over the last few days, I have really enjoyed looking at the artwork and photography. It is a great distraction and some captivating works” Visitor

Artsparks

 

Sea Monsters


Children and their families recently collaborated with our Artist in Residence Edwina Bridgeman on a completely different level. Inspired by Edwina's solo show 'The Ship of Fools' at the Victoria Art Gallery in January, children and parents alike transformed everyday materials and objects into sea monsters to accompany Edwina's figures.

Children made jelly fish creatures from net and wool, foam flat fish, cone star fish and bugged eyed octopuses, relishing the freedom to explore materials and discovering what they can do with the help of their fantastic imaginations.

The Ship of Fools exhibition took place at the Victoria Art Gallery over Christmas and was well received. Edwina said 'The work clearly comes from the children and has not been produced in a prescriptive way which gives it a huge energy. Try as they might none of the sea monsters turned out scary! It was brilliant to see the technicians at the Victoria Art Gallery installing them. Earlier in the week they had been de-installing Picassos and Matisse's from the Modern Masters exhibition and was now handling the RUH sea monsters".

 Artsparks corridor, (Zone B)

“Edwina is fantastic, a very big thank you for being so fantastic with my son. An inspiring time at hospital, the artwork is amazing.” Parent

Music - Dates for your diary 

January - March 2015

Bringing a diverse range of live music to communal areas of the hospital and wards.

Up and coming performances take place in the main atrium, between 1-1:30pm, unless otherwise stated below, before moving onto the hospital wards

Mountain Flowers, Female Folk Duo 
Tuesday 27th January, 1-1:30pm, Atrium
Gaulois Brothers, Bath based Gypsy Swing Band
Tuesday 10th February, 1-1:30pm, Atrium
Marick Baxter & Mac Seka
Tuesday 10th March, 1-1:30pm, Atrium

The Soundbite Referral Programme

 

Soundbite brings music to the RUH wards for patients and their families. If you would like to request our Musician in Residence to come and visit you to play your favourite piece of music or just to have a chat please call 01225 824987 or email Frankie f.simpkins@nhs.net

Be-Clot Clever!


Every year, many thousands of people in the UK develop a blood clot in a vein. It's known as venous thromboembolism (VTE) and is a serious, potentially fatal, medical condition. Although serious, most blood clots can be completely avoided. The key is to be aware if you're at risk and take some simple preventative steps.

In a bid to share information on how to prevent blood clots occurring within hospital, our Musician in Residence Frankie Simpkins teamed up with the RUH Physiotherapy Department to create a catchy jingle for a patient safety radio advert. With lyrics such as ‘you can get blood clots even when you’re not flying to Mexico’, the advert is now played several times a day on the hospital’s very own radio station.

So be-clot clever and have a listen today https://soundcloud.com/art-the-heart-of-the-ruh/bath-hospital-radio-the-blood-clot-jingle

For more information about Bath Hospital Radio and how you can get involved, please see their website http://www.bathhospitalradio.org.uk/

“Thank you so much, a lovely addition to the ward, the patients thoroughly enjoyed it and it gave everyone something to talk about” Staff Member

Capital Projects

Art within the built environment

 
Innovative design is the key to creating a welcoming and exceptional environment for patient care. The Forever Friends Appeal aims to raise a total of £250,000 for art to create a truly pioneering Cancer Care Centre that complements the existing high quality care for patients at the Royal United Hospitals Bath (RUH).

Art at the Heart (AATH) is the official arts charity for the RUH and will ensure that there is a clear art and design strategy for the new Cancer Care Centre. Art takes many forms, and in this instance can include integrally etched windows that could act as screens, a clever use of light and colour to brighten waiting areas, small gardens, as well as stunning pieces of artwork. In addition the hospital’s art charity hopes to include stand-out sculpture, using the landscape as an integral part of the project.

AATH have already built quite a strong collection of artworks for the new Cancer Care Centre; including 'Brass Monkey' by Bruce Munro, which is a vibrant light installation that will be incorporated into the building’s landscape design.

The overall aim is to create a truly holistic healing environment, connecting the outside to the inside, capturing light into the building through glazing and layout, and to maximise views enhancing the whole hospital environment. Understanding the benefits of adding greenery into a built environment to help improve health is not a new concept. Taking on board this knowledge, the proposal is that landscape takes centre stage, driving the design both externally and internally.

The Royal United Hospitals Bath has been here for the people of Bath for generations. It owes its existence to the generosity of the community it serves, and the contributions of that community remain as important as ever. If you would like to support the arts fund or are interested in finding out how you can get involved, The Cancer Care Centre Wish List is now available by request on 01225 824987 or email hetty.dupays@nhs.net

Past and Present Portfolio by Art at the Heart of the RUH


Over the last decade Art at the Heart have completely transformed and re-transformed the Trust’s public spaces for the benefit of patients, staff and visitors. Last month we welcomed the photographic expertise of Juraj Ladziansky, owner of 35Mil Photographic Studio www.35mil.co.uk, who in the space of 6 hours documented as many of Art at the Heart’s achievements as physically possible.

We are delighted with the results, and welcome you to view them again with fresh eyes via our Flickr gallery.

‘A Stitch in Time’ Workshops


Art at the Heart is always creating new opportunities for patients, visitors and staff to experience and participate in the arts. Introducing creative art and textiles to patients, ‘A Stitch in Time’ workshops will now be taking place on Combe Ward every Friday morning at the Royal United Hospital.

Textile students and volunteers will provide workshops for patients on the Older People’s Unit involving a combination of activities taken from our previous project; Reflections. Activities include story-telling, poetry reading and creative writing. These activities will hopefully inspire and encourage patients to engage in conversation whilst making creative art or textile pieces.


"It is widely recognised that the arts have a key role to play in delivering an improved patient environment."


Art at the Heart encourages and supports social skills and interaction between patients.


The aims of these new workshops are to increase patients’ self-esteem and confidence by introducing them to a new skill that they can then share with their family, friends and loved ones.
 

Can you help?

We are always looking for inspiring, motivated and knowledgeable individuals to volunteer or join the Arts Strategy Group. 

If you’re interested in becoming involved in our work or feel you have something to offer please get in touch with our Arts Programme Manager Hetty Dupays on hetty.dupays@nhs.net or call 01225 824987.


If you would like to donate money which will help us maintain and continue the arts programme then you can do so by clicking on the Donate button below or filling out our Sales and Donations form. Another way you can help us out is by purchasing art work as a commission goes straight into the Art at the Heart fund.
Copyright © 2013 Art at the Heart of the RUH, Charity No. 1058323, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
Art at the Heart of the RUH
2nd Floor, Bath & Wessex House
Royal United Hospital NHS Trust
Combe Park
Bath
BA1 3NG
T: 01225 824 987
e: hetty.dupays@nhs.net

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