Arts for Health Timeline

This timeline presents a snapshot of the growth and development of the Arts for Health Partnership Programme. Divided into three sections – Partnership, Programme, and Project – to highlight the different perspectives of the AfHPP. In practice, these elements are deeply interconnected, evolving together. For a more detailed account you can download a PDF HERE.

Key: 🟦 Partnership Developments | 🟩 Programme Developments | 🖼️ Images – hover for details and click to read more

2024

A DIVE IN LINE

With visual artist and poet Áine Rose Connell

🟦 A new SLA between Uillinn and HSE secures and consolidates HSE funding streams.

🟦 A pilot project in Bantry General Hospital Medical and Rehab Unit aims to increase the wellbeing of patients living with dementia. A report recommends continuing a year-long programme. Funding is received from the HSE and Cork ETB.

🟦 Clonakilty Community Hospital re-joins the programme.

🟩 Chris Bailey (Arts and Health Lead at WHO) visits on 4 March as part of Creative Brain Week.

🟩 A three day hybrid training programme ‘An Introduction to Social Prescribing Creative Engagement in County Cork’, is developed and delivered by AfHPP as part of Cork County Council’s new Arts and Chats initiative.

🟩 Case Study: ‘A Dive in Line‘ – Art and Parkinsons Action Research Project.

2023

🟦 The third Strategic Plan 2023 – 2028 is launched at Schull Community Hospital with Mayor of County Cork, Cllr. Frank O’ Flynn, AfH participants, artists team, steering group, partners and stakeholders.

🟦 Work begins to consolidate multiple strands of the HSE funding for the programme through one SLA.

🟦 AfHPP is nominated for Health and Wellbeing at the AONTAS STAR Awards in the large-sized initiatives category.

THE LAST TRAIN TO NOWHERE

Coordinated by Justin Grounds, with participants in Skibbereen, Schull and Bantry Community Hospitals and AfH artists Sarah Ruttle, Sharon Dipity and Elizabeth Murray

🟩 ‘The Last Train to Nowhere’ a short multimedia film is created exploring memory and imagination within the theme of West Cork Railways 🟩 Creative Carers at Home is initiated with safety guidelines for home visits and focus on an artist working alone in the home.

🟩 Article: ‘Imagination is Awesome, Caring Connects‘ as part of Creative Brain Week.

🟩 Case Study: ‘Bridging the Imagination‘ with visual artist Sharon Dipity.

2022

🟦 Creative Carers Programme is piloted for one year and approval for annual funding through Sec39 is given by HSE. An evaluation report is commissioned for the first year of implementation.

🟦 AfHPP is represented in a talk at the ‘Art of Being Healthy and Well, Symposium‘.

🟦 The partnership is featured on the new international website artsandbrain.com gathering the growing research on arts and health.

🟩 ‘Experience‘ online learning programme returns for 2022.

🟩 ‘Museum of Birds and Beasts‘ tours community hospitals in collaboration with National Folklore Collection and Museum of Country Life, funded by The Arts Council 🟩 ‘Taking Flight‘ explores experiences of limited movement and relationships between patients and carers.

🟩 Case Study: ‘Skibbereen HSE Campus Choir‘.

CREATIVE CARERS

Workshop for Healthcare Workers led by visual artist Sarah Ruttle

2021

WE'LL BE BACK

With musicians Liz Clark, Paula K O'Brien and West Cork Day Care Coordinators

🟦 AfHPP partners with the Irish Hospice Foundation on the Compassionate Culture Network where artist-facilitators and support workers invited local communities to explore loss and grief.

🟦 Clonakilty Community Hospital leaves the programme after experiencing challenges taking part during the pandemic.

🟦 Publication: ‘Time to Unite and Take Action: Managing an Arts and Health Programme during COVID-19‘.

🟩 ‘We’ll be Back‘ song is released on 12 May, International Nurses Day – as part of #Bealtaineathome2021 🟩 An artist led collaborative publication, ‘Bringing Art Home‘, documented the pivoted programme during year one of the pandemic.

🟩 The first ‘Experience‘ online learning programme takes place in association with Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre, Age & Opportunity, Waterford Healing Arts Trust.

🟩 Case Study: ‘Time in Our Lives‘.

2020

🟦New ways are explored to keep creative channels open for older residents. Within weeks of shutdown new projects are safely underway in hospitals via post, online, etc., and progressed throughout the year. New safety and comms. protocols are put in place.

🟦Day Care close and staff are redeployed. Significant action is taken by AfH Chairperson to ensure Day Care clients can creatively connect with AfH artists. Uillinn staff come on board to facilitate extensive creative mail out activities.

MUSEUM OF SONG

By Tess Leak and Sharon Whooley

🟩 Adapted programme commenced on March 19 with the first online music session using Skype at Schull Community Hospital. On April 14, the first packages of the ‘The Museum of Song Postal Project‘ were sent out asking participants to reply with their favourite songs, followed by ‘Little Light Pocket Theatre‘ an online workshop creating a miniature pop-up theatre.

🟩 Case Study: ‘The Museum of Song Postal Project‘. 🟩 APRIL2020 archived experiences of Covid-19 global pandemic.

2019

🟦 HSE Community Hospital funding is increased to support a higher number of annual sessions delivered to the West Cork Day Care Centres, increasing the number of annual sessions from 20 to 25.

🟦 AfHPP receives a Business to Arts Award with Ludgate Hub, Skibbereen for work on project ‘Calling Home’ linking AfH participants with international diaspora and engaging older generations to talk and share stories of emigration, through a series of workshops in the community.

🟩 ‘100 Songs‘ a list of essential songs is compiled by AfH participants from discussions about what makes a song essential. The list was then produced as a CD for use as an ongoing resource 🟩 A Podcast Series is released on the complexity and the value of culture and the arts in healthcare, sharing the challenges and successes of innovation and creativity in a hospital setting from the different perspectives of the artists involved.

🟩 Case Study: ‘Stories from the Well-Field‘.

STORIES FROM THE WELL-FIELD

Tess Leak with Sharon Whooley and Justin Grounds at Bantry General Hospital, St. Joseph's Unit

2018

LAST DANCE

With musician Justin Grounds and dancer Imna Pavon

🟦 The Steering Group release ‘Carpool Careoke‘, a creative evaluation film documenting the increase in AfHPP capacity to deliver music alongside visual arts as part of the Community Hospital Programming. The film included perspectives from each music artist, along with Programme directors and partners, expressed in a creative and sometimes funny way.

🟦The film is screened at ‘Check Up Check In’ annual arts and health conference on 26 April at Crawford Art Gallery, Cork.

🟩’Secret Life of Things‘ a series of poetic artworks/objects were created holding
memories of each group attending all five Day Care Centres in West Cork. The object became part of a travelling exhibition brought around beds to involve people as active contributors. 🟩 ‘Last Dance‘ a five-week collaborative project with residents of the Clonakilty Community Hospital, explores the famous ‘Chaconne in D minor’ for unaccompanied violin, by J.S.Bach.

🟩 Case Study: ‘110 Skibbereen Girls‘.

2017

🟦 An increase in HSE funding is allocated for a one-year pilot to include a Community Hospital Music Strand, significantly increasing sessions in each hospital.

🟦 A creative evaluation is commissioned to document this addition to the programme and its initial development.

🟦 AfHPP receive a letter from Jim Daly, Minister for Health and Older People commending the programme as “an excellent model of arts development”.

PARACHUTE IN THE PURSE

Public art installation at Castletownbere Community Hospital by Sarah Ruttle and residents

🟩 The Arts for Health Partnership Programme website artsforhealthwestcork.com is launched as a resource for stakeholders and the public.

🟩 Collaborative projecct ‘Radiophone‘ culminates in an interactive installation where visitors are invited to pick up the old-style telephone, dial a number, and listen to tracks created and recorded by participants working with artists on the programme.

🟩 Case Study: ‘Parachute in the Purse‘.

2016

🟦 The second Strategic Plan 2017 – 2020 is launched at Dunmanway Community Hospital on 28 November by the Mayor of County Cork, Cllr Declan Hurley; AfH Programme Manager Justine Foster; Gabrielle O’Keeffe, HSE Head of Social Care, Cork and Kerry Community Healthcare; Ann O’Connor, Arts Participation Advisor, The Arts Council; with a presentation by the Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, Jim Daly TD and a screening of a short film made by residents of Bantry General Hospital, St. Joseph’s Unit.

🟩 FETAC Level 5 for Healthcare Professionals continues as part of AfHPP.

🟩 The ‘Cabinet of Curiosity‘ an interactive installation by healthcare professionals is created as a resource for older people in hospital settings. Each drawer has a theme and can be brought to the bedside to stimulate art making, reminiscence and creative play.

🟩 Case Study: First Arts + Health Residency at Uillinn ‘These Tangled Threads‘.

CABINET OF CURIOSITY

By artist Toma McCullim and FETAC Level 5 Healthcare Students

2015

A LIFE OF CHANGES

Artist Michael Ray and Bantry Day Care Centre Participants

🟦 HSE Section 39 funding is increased and secured with a Service Level Agreement to include a significant contribution towards operational programme costs.

🟦 West Cork Arts Centre receives a Dementia Friendly Community Arts and Culture Award for the development of a new gallery programme ‘In The Picture‘ as part of the Arts for Health Programme in January 2015. The programme represents a new way to involve people with dementia, their family members and carers in a local arts facility.

🟩 On 11 June, President Michael D Higgins meets the Steering Group and AfHPP participant Maureen from Bantry General Hospital, during the Uillinn official launch and AfHPP Stairwell Exhibition. 🟩 Bantry Day Care participants create ‘A Life of Changes’ a series of small glass panels with text from transcribed conversations about transition periods and significant moments in the participants’ lives.

🟩 A FETAC level 5 Course for Healthcare Professionals is introduced as part of AfHPP.

2014

🟦 Arts for Health Partnership Programme commissions a study ‘Dementia Care Environments’ on the potential of public art projects to improve healthcare environments. The study focuses on Dunmanway Community Hospital and Day Care Centre.

🟦 A new dementia friendly gallery programme is proposed to coincide with the opening of the new West Cork Arts Centre building, inspired by ‘Meet Me at MOMA’ in the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

BY THE SMOKE OF THE TRAIN

By Anne Harrington Rees

🟩 A hardback book ‘By the Smoke of the Train‘ is created with Dunmanway Day Care participants. The book contains a collection of people’s stories and experiences of the railway during the 1940s and 1950s, illustrated with the participants’ own drawings and paintings.

🟩 A programme artist publishes ‘Confidentiality, Consent and Decision Making in Arts and Health Participatory Art Practice’, supported by an Arts Council Bursary.

2013

🟦 An animated information video is commissioned for the launch of the first Strategic Plan. The animation details the plan and the implementation of AfHPP.

🟦A once off arts project is implemented to seek equity in service and include the Mizen. While the project is separate from the programme the outcomes are for consideration.

🟦HSE Health Promotion exit from the Steering Group.

🟩 ‘Feasts’ a series of artworks on the theme of food are created to enhance the resident’s new dining room at Schull Community Hospital. 🟩 ‘Waiting Room Poems’ a series of poems developed through weekly conversations between artist and participants in Castletownbere Community Hospital and Day Care are exhibited in West Cork healthcare centre waiting rooms.

🟩 Publication: ‘Where in the World‘.

🟩 Case Study: ‘Starling Song Project‘.

ARTIFACTS

Helle Helsner and Anne Harrington Rees

2012

STARLING SONG

By Liz Clark, in collaboration with visual artist Tess Leak

🟦 The first Strategic Plan 2013 – 2016 is launched, evidence of the partnership’s commitment to maintaining and improving communications and advocacy. A plain English copy of the document is made available for accessibility to all stakeholders.

🟦 The launch takes place at Clonakilty Community Hospital by Gabrielle O’Keefe, General Manager, HSE Cork; Ann O’Connor, Arts and Health Advisor to the Arts Council; Sheelagh Broderick, HSE Health Promotion Officer and AfHPP Chairperson.

🟩 ‘Starling Song: The Threshing Machine Made a Devilous Sound’ a song-writing project joins participants in 11 healthcare settings, in composing a collection of original songs to create a CD compilation. 🟩 ‘Menu of Poems‘ in partnership with AHCI becomes an annual event.

🟩 Publication: ‘Spectrum‘ sharing an insight into the artists’ participatory practice.

🟩 Case Study: ‘Arts for Health Partnership Programme‘.

2011

🟦 An agreement is reached to integrate Day Care Centres into the Arts for Health Partnership Programme in principle, with financial supports for a 16-week pilot project to be reviewed on a year-to-year basis. Sessions are project based with 5 projects completed with different artists throughout the first year.

🟦 An Art & Dementia Learning Day takes place on 8 March, aimed at artists working in care settings and care workers delivering arts programmes.

JAPANESE BOOKMAKING PROJECT

By Sharon Dipity and Castletownbere Community Hospital

🟩 ‘Japanese Bookmaking Project’ books of drawings, paintings, collages, prints and text about favourite things and life experiences.

🟩 The first 16-week Placement Programme with a learner artist mentored by a programme artist takes place at Clonakilty Community Hospital.

🟩 Publication: ‘Frozen and Forgotten’ celebrating personal associations with Bicycles – published and celebrated during Clonakilty Bike Festival.

2010

🟦 After years of working independently with Day Care Centres in West Cork, all five Day Care Centres are included in a new action research programme with a view to integrating into AfHPP. The Day Care Centres receive 10 sessions while the hospitals receive 46 sessions each.

🟦A commissioned report identifies indicators for success going forward, based on emergent themes: 1. Partnership / collaboration, 2. Inclusion / participation, 3. Artistic process, 4. Benefits / outcomes.

🟩 Monday 19 April, President Mary McAleese visits AfHPP at Skibbereen Community Hospital.

🟩 ‘Mapping’ – connecting people, places, time with Dunmanway Day Care participants, maps their journey from home to the Day Care creating a large scale fabric work of their stories.

🟩 Art and dementia training for artists is initiated in association with the Alzheimer’s Society.

PRESIDENT VISITS

President Mary McAleese visits Arts for Health at Skibbereen Community Hospital

2009

STORYTELLING TENT

Artist Melissa Baker with participants at Clonakilty Community Hospital and Day Care

🟦 The programme is extended for a further three years and Bantry General Hospital, St. Joseph’s Unit is integrated into programme delivery longer term. Three artists work across 6 West Cork Hospitals in this year.

🟦 At this time 70% of the programme’s overall funding comes from the HSE. 75% of the programme cost is artists fees and 20% materials and documentation. The management and administration costs provided by West Cork Arts Centre continue to be mostly in kind.

🟩 Work continues that facilitates individual creative explorations, bed-side support, and session time where people can follow their own artistic lead. Playful or studious, participants can work independently, supported by a well resourced environment and skilled artist facilitators.

🟩 Learning sessions for care staff continue led by three programme artists who recommend running the sessions every 6 months to promote the programme and build relationships with care staff.

2008

🟦 Bantry General Hospital, St. Joseph’s Unit is introduced to AfHPP on a one-year pilot basis. An evaluation of the implementation is undertaken.

🟦 Music is integrated into Community Hospitals with no increase in sessions, so a reduction in visual art and literature to accommodate more creative choice.

🟦 A new online wiki is created for sharing documents internally between artists, healthcare settings and partners.

🟩 Learning Sessions for Healthcare Staff begin, offering an introduction to delivering visual art workshops and working with artists in a care setting.

🟩 The first musician joins the team of visual artists and writers, giving participants on the programme multi-artform choice.

🟩 A professional development training model for artists is proposed to ensure ongoing quality and sustainability of the programme.

2007

🟦 The Evaluation Report ‘Conversations in Colour‘ is published and launched on 24 May at Bantry Westlodge Hotel with a presentation by Mamo McDonald, President of Age and Opportunity.

🟦 The artist team increases to include a musician in addition to visual artists, increasing the programme in Skibbereen Community Hospital by 46 sessions.

🟦 A proposal to include Bantry General Hospital in the programme is drafted.

🟩 Arts for Health Partnership Programme hosts a national Music and Healthcare Training event at West Cork Arts Centre.

🟩 ‘Postcards Exhibition’ by residents at Dunmanway Community Hospital marks their first time featuring in the Dumanway Show.

🟩 Skibbereen Day Care attendees participate in 5 separate projects with different programme artists throughout the year.

CONVERSATIONS IN COLOUR

Evaluation by Jennifer Russell | Artwork by Delia Kelly

2006

BEALTAINE EXHIBITION 2006

Artwork by Skibbereen Community Hospital Residents working with artist Catherine Philips

🟦 ‘Conversations in Colour: Evaluation Report‘ is completed. The Steering Group revise a new three year Partnership Plan, based on the findings with scaled funding to increase HSE input and reduce supporting partners, with a view to long term management of the programme by HSE.

🟦 The artists team increases to 6 artists and move to service contracts from employment due to changing needs of the artist to work in other places and the healthcare settings seeking more variety.

🟩 The inaugural Bealtaine Art Trail takes place in West Cork Libraries featuring work by Arts for Health participants. 🟩 ‘Claymation Project’ – Skibbereen Day Care Centre attendees work with three artists to create pieces of stop-frame animation.

🟩 In addition to the written evaluation report, a book of participant artwork is curated by three programme artists featuring a compilation of stories, allegories and paintings created or inspired by participants on the programme.

2005

🟦 Arts for Health begins as a one-year plan in 5 Community Hospitals with two artists employed by West Cork Arts Centre commencing in May. The programme aims to provide interesting, challenging and stimulating activities/projects for participants, to develop their arts skills and for social enjoyment.

🟦 The Steering Group commissions a full-year evaluation by a researcher which is later published under the title ‘Conversations in Colour’.

BEALTAINE EXHIBITION 2005

Artwork by participants at Clonakilty Community Hospital with artist Catherine Philips

🟩 Skibbereen Day Care Centre and WCAC ‘Cloak Project’ is funded by Cork County Council and CREATE with the Day Care clients collecting words and images of meaning to them with three artists. These were then applied to fabric, which was tailored to produce the final garment. Secrets, wishes and prayers are also hidden within the structure of the garment.

🟩 A significant exhibition is held at West Cork Arts Centre for Bealtaine in the main gallery.

2002

🟦 HSE Health Promotion invites West Cork Arts Centre to develop a pilot project with Skibbereen Community Hospital to reach the objectives of the ‘Ageing with Confidence’ strategy which promotes the development of services to improve the quality of life of older people of Cork and Kerry.

🟦 The project aims to measure the impact of introducing a visual arts programme to hospital clients. A partnership is created between West Cork Arts Centre and the HSE to implement the project.

🟩 A visual artist is commissioned to deliver 10 sessions exploring various artistic skills in a hospital setting to evaluate creative possibilities with older residents and the limitations of working in a healthcare context. The project culminates with the ‘Ilen River Artists Exhibition’ with work by Skibbereen Community Hospital participants.

🟩A training programme is proposed for HSE staff to learn how to deliver and support arts activities in a healthcare context.

Ilen River Artists Exhibition

Participant artwork, facilitated by visual artist Marie Brett

1998

GOLDEN YEARS ARTS FESTIVAL

Participant artwork

🟦 A year-long programme receives an Arts Council Award with contributions from Skibbereen Area Project, West Cork Arts Centre and Hospitals. The programme is to be delivered by an artist in residence in three residential healthcare settings in West Cork – Perrot House, Elmwood House and St Anne’s Community Hospital.

🟦 The artist facilitator’s report recommends a longer term programme to better benefit participants and develop their skills.

🟩 The ‘Art in the Hospital’ programme encourages positive reminiscence while exploring skills in drawing, printmaking, and painting. Led by interests and abilities, participants develop their visual communication.

🟩 The pilot programme is well received by residents and staff, resulting in an exhibition, wall hanging, mural and reminiscence press. Participants are encouraged to continue their creative practice and art materials are left in each setting to facilitate this.

Credits: Written by Justine Foster, with support from Étáin Collins, Phoebe Cotton, 2025. Images by Sarah Ruttle, Uillinn Staff and artists. Last dance image by Claire Keogh.

Arts for Health Partnership Programme: Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre & HSE with Cork Education and Training Board and Cork County Council.