I love discovering organizations that are doing something really special and unique to improve the lives of others. The other day, my friend Beth told me about Rx Art, a non-profit dedicated to placing original fine art in hospitals and healthcare facilities. If you've ever stayed in a hospital (especially for an extended period of time), you know that any dose of color and life can make your time there that much better.
So I'm a big fan of Rx Art's mission to improve otherwise sterile environments through contemporary art, promote healing, and inspire hope in patients, families and staff.
It could even inspire you to create a piece of art and donate it to your local hospital!
{Photos by Rx Art}
love this idea — thanks for sharing!
Great Idea. Can definitely make DIFFERENCE. All the best to Rx Art.
http://lovelybusybee.blogspot.com/
In New Jersey, the organization that I work for (South Jersey Cultural Alliance) has partnered with the AtlantiCare Foundation to bring art into all the AtlantiCare hospitals. To date they purchased 1.5 million dollars of work from NJ artists. We are supper proud.
Love, love this! Art is always inspiring.
adrisworld.com
this is such a very wonderful idea. imagine finding art in a place where you least expect it, and where difficulties abound. so right!
–pippascabinet.blogspot.com
This is a BRILLIANT idea. It’s important and it should be done everywhere!
i strongly disagree with this.
if non-working artists make art, DONATE it to hopsitals, which are a huge part of one of the richest industries in the country and think they’re doing something good they’re very wrong. the hospitals have the money to pay for art. they just don’t have art because they don’t value it or see it as an investment in either the monetary way or in quality of life. by donating art you’re only furthering the perception that art is without value and hurting people that are artists by trade by devalueing their chosen career. working artists need the support of people like you, who think art is worthy of being on display and worth making, much more than a hospital needs handouts.
i think rather than donating art which would undermine art as a valued commodity and part of our culture, people would be doing everyone involved more of a service by donating their time to bring MAKING art to the patients. making art can be therapeutic and would make more of a positive impact in the lives of the patients than donated art in the hallways and lobbies. plus it would be showing that art is worth something, rather than worth nothing.
The hospital in my hometown does an art contest, where they put all local art in a hallway for a week. I amazingly got featured a few years back; employees, townspeople, and patients alike enjoy seeing all the different works of art =) Having permanent pieces sounds like an amazing idea =)
Hi Laura,
Thank you for your thoughtful note!
The donation aspect was just something that I suggested as a gesture of something I know Id like to contribute as someone who is not a working artist. That donation of art aspect is not the mission of Rx Art and the monetary donations they receive help to fund the art they purchase to place in these hospitals.
Sorry for any confusion!
Joy
I’m an architecture student and my current project is a design for an obesitas clinic. I have never spend much time inside a hospital but it amazes me how far behind some of the interiors are. Grey, dark, or extremely white and clean surroundings won’t make patients feel any better and comfortable. I highly support initiavtives like this, even the smallest change can mean so much to people who have to spend their days within hospital walls.
This is a fantastic idea. I agree that artists need to be supported, but it seems like the crucial beneficiaries here are the patients. I can say that a hospital stay would be a completely different animal for me if I had something life-affirming to look at all day long.
Having worked for 5 years for an art consulting firm specializing in developing art placement programs for healthcare institutions, I so appreciate you writing about this industry! For so long, not much thought was given to the mental, spiritual and emotional impact art could have in healthcare settings, being often treated as just another furnishing ( and often the first item to get slashed when the budget is tight! ).
But more and more healthcare institutions are responding to scientific findings regarding art/environment and healing. Many of the facilities we worked with saw original work, very often by local or regional artists, as a fundamental element in either the creation of a new setting for healing or in the renovation of an outdated one.
My former boss, still working in the industry is in the midst if developing interactive art software for placement in hospitals and other healthcare settings. The link between art & healing has been overlooked for so long, it is incredibly gratifying to see it finally coming into mainstream thinking!
Love this! This is a great organization. Thanks for sharing.
natalie
dishesrunwaysandbriefcases.blogspot.com
OMG this is fantastic! I tried to do something similar at SF General Hospital a few years back, but the bureaucracy was so thick that it was unfortunately abandoned. I’m so glad someone is working on this. I think it’s highly needed.
Sounds like a wonderful program! Artwork makes all the difference in a space.
I love this so much, thanks for sharing! Colour makes such a big difference, it’s crazy. I especially love that they are not just putting up boring landscape photography like hotels sometimes do but fun, colourful art.
I’m a long time sufferer of Crohn’s Disease and spent the majority of my childhood in Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and lately have unfortunately had to spend my time at Penn Presbyterian Hospital. I completely am in love with the fact that you’ve chosen to post about this. It’s true that hospitals do not value art work as much as they should regarding interior decoration, however I’ve noticed more of an effort in recent years. But regarding the other user’s comments on the therapeutic aspects of art–there are actually many hospitals that have art and music programs; especially for children. During my time at CHOP, the child-life specialists would put children in need in touch with art and music therapists in order to cope with stress and pain management. I just found this quite inspiring and exactly like the kind of uplifting post I needed to read today when I’ve been wheeled to and from radiology all week! So thank you.
I have been reading your blog for almost a year and continue to be impressed by your creativity, vision, business sense, compassion, taste, style, and cute ass family. Usually I would die from jealousy at someone with your level of awesomeness but you are consistently likable, too! Argh. I even scheduled an entire vacation to LA this spring mainly because of your recommendations! Please do not stop being cool.
Great artwork in a hospital gives your heart and mind something else to focus on for a moment or two while you are in the hospital. I felt this way when I was in labor.
first of all, ditto what regan (#17) said! you are awesome & inspiring! and secondly, i am really loving this concept. i am glad that there are people out there that support the arts. artistic things tend to get downplayed as “uneccessary” or “unimportant”. a while maybe you can’t eat a painting, your soul is feed in other ways that can sometimes be more nourishing. it’s great to hear about artists who believe in their ability to “heal” and brighten the day of those who need it most! thank you for sharing. xo
-ashley
ashleyrachelle.com
A few years ago I started creating mosaic pictures and donating them to my local hospital as a thank you for the great cancer care I received. Nine pieces later, I proposed a general plan to put the work of local artists, photographer and students into the patient rooms and eventually, throughout the rest of the building. The CEO is in favor, now all I have to do is come up with a detailed plan to make this happen.
HELP! If anyone has suggestions, please reply.
Hi, Do you know the name of the artist who paintings/prints in the last photo? Thanks!