Arts projects for patients

Oct 26 2011 by Kaiya Marjoribanks, Stirling Observer Wednesday

CREATIVE Scotland and NHS Forth Valley are to collaborate in a project involving patients and service users in a wide range of arts projects.

It will focus on three main priorities – creating artworks for hospital waiting areas and other spaces, commissioning arts projects for major public spaces and developing arts exhibitions and events programme.

Babs McCool, an artist and experienced project manager, has recently been appointed as charitable arts and wellbeing co-ordinator, to take forward the initiative over the next three years.

Her post, which is funded by Creative Scotland with support from Forth Valley's three local authorities – Stirling, Clackmannanshire and Falkirk – is based in Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert.

As part of a new art strategy, Babs has also set up an artists-in-residence programme at FVRH and the Mental Health Resource Centre at Clackmannanshire Community Health Care Centre with Glasgow based media/radio artist Mark Vernon and Edinburgh based visual artist/photographer Lindsay Perth.

Until 2013, Lindsay and Mark will be working with patients, members of the public, volunteers, school students and staff on photographic art for temporary or permanent display and audio/radio works for broadcast on new interactive screens which will be installed at FVRH.

Babs said: “There is lots of evidence that involving patients in art can be very therapeutic as well as improving confidence levels and self-esteem. This not makes people feel better it can also aid their overall recovery.”

Anyone who wants to find out more about the Forth Valley arts strategy, or wants to discuss interesting arts related ideas, can contact Babs on 01324 5/67492 or 07584 205213 or email babs.mccool@nhs.net.