Arts in health programme
As part of Children’s Health Ireland’s commitment to place arts, creativity and imagination at the heart of the child’s and young person’s experience, we are developing an Arts Programme for the new children's hospital and paediatric outpatient and urgent care centres.
Arts in health at CHI
CHI Arts in Health
Strand One: A brilliant built environment for CHI
Central to the future provision for patients of Children’s Health Ireland is a healthcare environment that offers joyful, playful and creative engagement during time spent here. Whether you are looking, listening or exploring the space, there will be artworks to discover and uncover.
As part of this strand of work, CHI have commissioned a series of ambitious artworks for the public realm spaces of the new children’s hospital and satellite centres. These artworks have been commissioned to meet the specific needs of children, young people, families and staff in paediatric healthcare settings and has involved consulting with children and young people in the selection and development of artworks at each stage of development.
Our Balloon Trees
Our Balloon Trees are two unique sister artworks designed and made by Róisín de Buitléar for the children, young people, staff and families attending the CHI Paediatric Outpatient and Urgent Care Centre at Connolly and the CHI Paediatric Outpatient and Emergency Care Unit at Tallaght. These artworks welcome people to the space, brings colour, light and a sense of playfulness into these buildings. Take a look at our short video which explains how they were made and installed. The Balloon Tree artworks were commissioned by CHI Arts and generously funded by the NCH Foundation Tallaght.
Strand Two: Creatively Coming Together
We are working to facilitate creative collaboration between the staff of the three existing children’s hospitals in order to support our move to the new children’s hospital and satellite centres. Our Treasure Chest Project worked with a group of staff from across all our sites to consider what artworks we will bring with us to our new locations. Through this project we have filled a wonderful Treasure Chest of artworks that will enhance our new places of working, while connecting us back to where we have come from.
Strand Three: Making and Doing it for yourself
We are working with children, young people, families and staff to develop a sustainable Arts in Health Programme for the NCH, which will offer a wide range of creative experiences for our communities across CHI. We work with a team of skilled, experienced artists who bring lots of different art forms including visual art, music and much more to our spaces. You might come across one of our projects during your visit or stay with us.
We’ve been running a long term visual arts project called Wildfires, generously support by The Arts Council of Ireland.