News: Our 20th Anniversary
This May sees the 20th anniversary of Arts for Health MK (AfHMK) becoming an independent charity! We evolved from the work of an amazing voluntary Arts Committee at Milton Keynes Hospital, who had the vision and determination to develop an art collection when the hospital first opened in 1984, to make it a more welcoming and pleasing environment for patients, visitors and staff.
The Collection, now numbering over 400 artworks, is the largest permanent art collection in Milton Keynes. We still curate The Collection, and present related temporary exhibitions and manage some of the inner courtyard spaces as Creative Courtyards.
We have now evolved to deliver creative health and wellbeing programmes in the community too, it’s a huge part of what we do! Working with dedicated artists and creative practitioners to improve the health and wellbeing of people across Milton Keynes. We regularly partner with others for this, and current programmes include dance, drama and fine art. Positive feedback from participants and our waiting lists for places reflect the huge demand and need for such work.
Image: L-r Three Girls; Apartment Window; Solstice by W.King, screenprint on paper, from the Milton Keynes University Hospital Art Collection
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Twenty for Twenty Online Project
What is Twenty for Twenty?
Twenty for Twenty is our web-based project designed to increase awareness of our charity and shine a spotlight on The Collection during our anniversary year. We’ve asked twenty people from different walks of life to select a work from The Collection and to tell us about it’s personal significance, interest or appeal to them. In this way we hope to capture and share a snapshot of the value and impact of The Collection to a range of different people – from hospital staff, patients and visitors to wider community members. We will alert you to each new post via our social media and we look forward to seeing the contributions as they come in! The first couple of posts are already up on our website. Do take a look!
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Project Update:
Creative Play - Music & Song
Over the last few months we’ve been delivering free music sessions for mothers who are experiencing perinatal mental health challenges and symptoms of postnatal depression. These sessions are delivered by four professional musicians from various cultural and musical backgrounds, and support mothers and their babies to relax and enjoy music and group singing.
The positive impact of the sessions is already evident. One mother described them as "A breath of fresh air, a pause from the stresses of my day to day life. The group have become friends that I look forward to seeing each week".
Project manager Georgia, says: “We have created a space where mothers can be honest and express their true feelings without judgement. Being a new mother myself, I have experienced the benefits of attending the group and the power that music and singing can have on improving wellbeing".
Weekly sessions take place on:
Robins Children Centre, Heelands
- Wednesdays 10:00am-12:00pm
Little Owls Children Centre, Oxley Park
For how to join the programme please email: georgia@artsforhealthmk.org.uk
The Creative Play programme is kindly funded by Youth Music: Trailblazer Fund.
Image: a Creative Play participant with her two children
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Project Update:
Headstart
Our Headstart programmes goes from strength to strength. Last year we delivered four Art, two Drama and one Music course, and received excellent feedback.
The mum of a young person on the Drama course reported that she was thrilled to hear how he was making connections with the other young people, as where he was currently he had no friends. She said, “There is also a sense of purpose for M and a routine that he can sign up for. As M is autistic this is something he needs to make him feel secure.”
New tutor Josh Fowley is leading our music courses for 13–17 year olds at the MK Dons Brooklands Pavilion. This month we also begin an Art course for 13 -17 year olds and we will be scheduling a Drama course for 8 - 12 year olds.
In the summer we’ll be providing short holiday club combined dance/drama courses and scheduling a summer Art course and a Music course for 8 – 12 year olds.
We are still accepting referrals for all our Headstart courses. Find more details on our website.
Our Headstart programme is kindly funded by the Big Lottery Community Fund. With thanks also to The MK Music Hub for supporting our music based adventures both in the community and at the Campbell Centre.
Image: Rose in pen and ink made by Headstart Art participant Grace Anderson.
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Impact of The Collection
This May we’re delighted to welcome
Dr Nicola Magnusson to the hospital to conduct an evaluation project. An Associate Lecturer in the School of Psychology and Counselling at the Open University, Nicola is gathering data to help us understand the impact that the extensive artwork Collection we manage for MKUH has on its’ patients, staff, visitors, carers and families.
Using interviews but mainly 5-10 minute in-person surveys, Nicola aims to gather people’s emotional responses to the art, and their observations and experiences of it as they visit or work in the hospital. She’ll be at central hospital locations and visiting different departments on nine dates across May, approaching as many people as possible. But if you recognise her (from above), she’d be delighted if you approached her and asked to take the survey! If short of time, hospital users are welcome to complete a survey online HERE.
The completed project will help us to evaluate the role, meaning and impact of The Collection to the hospital community, and feed into future Collection management and project planning.
Image: Dr Nicola Magnusson
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Call for Creative Courtyard Volunteers
We have recently recruited Robin Clements to our team as our new Creative Courtyards Supervisor and look forward to working with him!
We are currently seeking more volunteers to help us maintain some of the green inner courtyard spaces at the hospital. Volunteering sessions are great way to meet other like-minded people, who enjoy the wellness benefits of being outdoors.
We need adults aged 18+ who are able to participate in light gardening duties. Whether you have a little or lots of gardening experience, we’d love to hear from you. Maybe you can bring your passion for wildlife to help us make the spaces more welcoming for butterflies, or perhaps you have carpentry skills to fashion a new planter. There are lots of basic gardening tasks such as weeding, planting and pruning too.
We currently have a regular spruce of the courtyards on Tuesdays between 1pm and 3 pm and other ad hoc sessions throughout the good weather season.
A hot or cold drink will be provided.
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New Artworks on Loan from Paintings in Hospitals
Various locations across MKUH site
We’re delighted to have received five new artworks on long term loan to Milton Keynes University Hospital from the collection of the national charity Paintings in Hospitals.
Artworks from renowned artists Carol Rhodes, John McNeil and Sylvia Guirey join seven other artworks from the Paintings in Hospital collection already on display across the hospital.
The artworks from the Paintings in Hospital collection are specifically selected with care settings in mind, to enhance the environment and improve patient and staff wellbeing.
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This selection of artworks was chosen in consultation with staff from the Maple Centre, specifically around themes of light, nature and bringing the outdoors in (as echoed in the original building design). Some works, such as the White Horse at Kilburn, feature recognisable landscapes.
Image: Installation view; Formation No.12 Acrylic on Canvas, 1983 by Sylvia Guirey;
© Courtesy of the artist, Paintings in Hospitals.
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Funding Partners
With thanks to our core funding partners for their continued support of our projects and of our work in the Hospital and in the wider community.
Donations are welcome and can be made via our dedicated website Local Giving or use the QR code below.
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Follow our social media channels for Arts for Health MK activity updates
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