Summer Arts Festival Brings Arts, Crafts And Live Performances To The Hospital

Last June and July, our charity helped to support our Trust’s arts participation programme, EnjoyArt, to host the first-ever Arts Summer Festival, which saw different performances and arts and craft activities taking place across both our Children’s and Women’s Hospital.

EnjoyArt is the arts participation programme at BWC, which is generously funded by our charity and aims to transform the hospital environment into a welcoming and uplifting space and provide positive and engaging experiences for patients.

The week-long event saw arts and craft stalls, outdoor games, face painting, food and performances taking place in our Waterfall House building, with activities also being brought directly to children on the wards.

One family commented: “My daughter was in hospital and this activity let her do something fun and put a smile on her face,” with another parent adding: “They were really inclusive, my child is very sensory and doesn’t like their face being touched, so she painted his knee.”

Some of the activities that were brought to the hospital included an animation workshop hosted by Let’s Animate, performances across some of the wards by Sonia Sabri Dance Company, and puppet storytelling and Bhangra dancing on the wards by Sohan Kailey, alongside face-painting, arts and crafts, and interactive outdoor games.

Elinor Cole, EnjoyArt Manager at the Trust, said: “We are thrilled that EnjoyArt’s first Summer Arts Festival was a success and was enjoyed by so many patients and their families.

“Children enjoyed dance performances and storytelling and had the opportunity to tell their own stories through stop-motion animation.

“We loved seeing the smiling painted faces and fabulous creations made during drop-in workshops and are looking forward to our bringing the festival back next summer.” 

There is overwhelming evidence arts and creative projects can make a positive difference to the wellbeing of patients, families, visitors and staff. Alongside hosting the festival, EnjoyArt collaborates with talented artists and designers who co-create bespoke environmental artworks within our hospitals and regularly brings artists and performers into the hospitals for our children, young people and families.