At UHD we are developing creative community projects and commissioning professional artwork at our three hospital sites. New and existing artwork will form the basis of a wider programme of creative opportunities for patients, staff and visitors. We aim to provide inspiring encounters with art in the most unexpected of places, for everyone.
Public art commissions, community art projects, art and sculpture trails and a permanent gallery area will create a welcoming environment and improve wellbeing for public visitors to the hospital. Art initiatives across the hospitals will improve staff morale and cohesion, recruitment and retention. These initiatives will include staff, patient and community participation projects in a range of artforms.
Our arts strategy
Art on the walls
Beach installation
The BEACH building at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital opened in Spring 2025. It will feature a professional arts commission at the entrance. This commission, created by an artist with links to the local area, will include opportunities for staff, patient groups and the local community to contribute to the artwork created. The final outcome will form a focal point for all art commissions and initiatives across the hospital.
Sub-station community project
As this power station keeps the Royal Bournemouth Hospital running, so the skills and talents of local community groups, emerging artists and our student populations keep our local creative culture current and vibrant. An ongoing biennial project at this site right at the heart of the hospital will celebrate and share work created by these groups. Think of this as the hospital’s equivalent to Trafalgar Square’s ‘Fourth Plinth’, showcasing the best of emerging and community art from our region.
Sculpture and art trail
Existing and newly commissioned artwork will form an arts trail across all three hospital sites which patients, staff and visitors can explore.
The beautiful lake at Royal Bournemouth Hospital will inspire and host a sculpture trail, in partnership with local emerging and established sculptors’ initiatives.
Gallery space
The hospital gallery space will host regularly changing exhibitions that:
• Celebrate partnerships with local cultural settings and initiatives (such as the Russell Cotes Museum, Poole Lighthouse and the Bournemouth Emerging Arts Festival).
• Welcome visiting exhibitions from other NHS Trust arts projects.
• Showcase UHD / Bournemouth University research projects and the many talents of UHD’s creative staff.
Any sales of artwork will generate income for further arts initiatives in the hospital.
Art on the wards
Patient programmes
Existing initiatives in our hospitals already utilise art to improve patient experience. The art strategy will support and celebrate these projects, extending them with input from music, dance and visual art specialists. We will work closely with individual wards and departments to plan bespoke projects. We will make sure patients differing needs and requirements are catered for.
Artist-in-residence programme
Our artists-in-residence will create new artwork across all sites, also working with staff to develop ideas whilst sharing their specific skills and techniques.
Staff provision
Practical ‘Have a go’ regular arts events will be organised for staff, with a variety of workshops ranging from jewellery making to ceramics. Our talented staff will support with the facilitation of some sessions, while others will be facilitated by artists involved in commissions or exhibitions at our hospitals. ‘Closed’ sessions will offer opportunities for clinical staff teams to decompress together and ‘open’ sessions will provide an opportunity for staff across the Trust to get to know each other, with creative activity inspiring communication and connection.
By working in partnership with the PALS and Volunteers teams on both of these initiatives, we can contribute to UHD strategies such as Thrive Live health and wellbeing events and the Volunteer training program.
