Paintings in Hospitals' partnerships allow us to bring world-class artworks, talks, touring exhibitions and artist residencies to people who are not able to visit a museum or gallery.

Paintings in Hospitals works with major museums, collections and other cultural organisations, including:

Arts Council Collection

The Arts Council Collection is a national loan collection of modern and contemporary British art. We are the Arts Council Collection’s healthcare partner and we have been working together since 1976. Over 100 artworks from the collection are on loan to Paintings in Hospitals. We work closely with the Arts Council Collection team to make sure that people confined to care can benefit from these world-class artworks.

“Part of our mission is to show art all around the UK in a range of public buildings, such as universities and libraries, as well as galleries and museums. Working with Paintings in Hospitals helps us to bring art to the public to enhance wellbeing and enrich people's lives. Paintings in Hospitals is unique in its approach and we look forward to working together over the coming years.”

Beth Hughes, Collections Curator at Arts Council Collection

The National Gallery

In 2019 we partnered with the National Gallery to bring a 17th-century masterpiece by Artemisia Gentileschi to a GP surgery in East Yorkshire. The rare painting went on display at Pocklington Group Practice from 29 April until 11 May and was accompanied by a series of community art activities. Following Artemisia's visit, we are working with the local community to create a display of works by pioneering female artists from the Paintings in Hospitals collection, which will go on show at the practice for the next three years.

Central Saint Martins

We worked with the internationally-renowned art school Central Saint Martins to deliver an undergraduate module exploring the role of arts in health. The module forms part of the BA (Hons) Culture, Criticism and Curation course. Since 2010, the number of students dropping out of degree courses in the UK due to mental illness has trebled. Our work with Central Saint Martins students aims to highlight the ways in which art can support the physical and mental health of their peers, while also pushing the boundaries of what is expected of art in care settings. The project culminates in an annual showcase and exhibition.

“Collaborating with Paintings in Hospitals offers our students an opportunity to test new ideas in front of experienced professionals. Paintings in Hospitals’ support for the project has enabled our students to consider and respond to the ever-pertinent issue of mental health and the role of artistic and curatorial production in addressing it.”

Andrew Marsh, course leader for BA (Hons) Culture, Criticism and Curation at Central Saint Martins

V&A

The V&A is the world’s leading museum of art and design. We have been working with the V&A for over fifteen years. Together, we have co-curated seven exhibitions for health and social care sites across the country. Each exhibition has helped the V&A to reach new audiences. The exhibitions have also enabled patients, service users and staff to experience world-class art, some of which had never been exhibited outside of the museum before.

“The V&A is committed to ensuring that as many people as possible can be inspired by the museum’s collections. An important part of this is finding ways to reach people who may not be able to visit the museum. Working with Paintings in Hospitals allows the museum to exhibit outside of a conventional space, offering important and exciting opportunities to connect with new audiences.”

See more of our partnerships and special projects...