The document discusses the function and focus of art in hospital settings. It provides several examples of early cave paintings and musical instruments to show art has been part of human culture for thousands of years. It then outlines three principles for art in hospitals: it should be enjoyed by patients and staff, respect the setting and location, and be appropriate for the space. The document also discusses how art can provide distraction and stimulation for patients, and notes a 1999 evaluation of an arts project in a UK hospital that showed benefits. It examines how art can be incorporated into different spaces in a hospital from areas for treatment to spaces for patients, staff, and outdoor areas. The focus should always be on the patient experience and enjoyment.

1. INTERFERENZE Arte & OspedaleConference on Interactions of Art and Hospital A. Meyer Paediatric Hospital, Florence, Italy28th November 2009 THE ARTS – FUNCTION AND FOCUS Peter Scher B.A.(Arch.) R.I.B.A.Architect-Research-Consultancy, London, EnglandandVisiting Research Fellow, Arts for Health, Faculty of Art and Design, The Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, England 1

2. FUNCTION OF ART 1 Cave painting at Los Caballos, Spain Mesolithic – 8500-4000BC Palaeolithic flute,HohleFels,Germany – 30,000 BC USA -1855 2 India -1835 New York Times - 2008

3. FUNCTION OF ART 2 3

4. 4 FUNCTION OF ART 3

5. ABSENCE OF ART 5

6. Arts for Health 6 www.mmu.ac.uk/artsforhealth Projects Research Conferences

7. 7 Art for Children - 1

8. Art for Children - 2 8

9. THE ARTS IN HEALTH CARE 1999The first independent evaluation of a major arts project (Exeter Health Care Arts) for a health care setting (Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, England) Arts for Health www.mmu.ac.uk/artsforhealth 9

10. THE EXETER EVALUATION 10

11. Art in the health care setting offers patients two types of experience to enjoy –Distraction – from anxiety and fear about the nature of the illness and about the outcome of treatment and the consequences of each episode,Stimulation – by listening to music and the spoken word and by seeing visual art that engages the curiosity and interest. 11 Distraction and Stimulation

12. All the art interventions in the hospital should –1 be enjoyed by the users of the hospital,2 respect, sensitively, the particular setting, its location and culture,3 be appropriate to the type of space and support the specific activities of all the users. 12 Three Principles

13. 13 Curing, Healing and Caring Health care has three elements -curing, the interventions of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals,healing, which the patient’s body itself does, wounds heal, fractured bones mend, poisons are eliminatedandcaring, which everyone in contact with the patient does.

14. SPACES FOR HEALTH CARE 1 for curing, diagnosis, treatment, therapy 2 for patients during healing 3 for patients receiving care 4 for staff at work 5 for supporting and service functions and 6 the hospital’s outdoor spaces 14

15. Spaces for diagnosis, treatment and therapy 15

16. Spaces for patients during healing 16

17. Spaces for patients receiving care 17

18. Spaces for staff at work 18

19. Spaces for supporting and service functions 19

20. 20 Visual Art in supporting function - Signage

21. 21 Hospital’s Outdoor Spaces -1

22. Hospital’s Outdoor Spaces - 2 22

23. VISUAL ART in HEALTH CARE SETTINGS 23

24. PERFORMING ARTS in HEALTH CARE SETTINGS 24

25. It is not the purpose of arts in health care to challenge userswith avant garde creations, or to educate usersabout the arts. As patients we go to hospital because we are unwell. Where we know that an art work -1 is not enjoyed, 2 does not respect its setting, 3 is not appropriate for the space and its users,- then it should be changed and not remain. 25 Inappropriate Art

26. All the art interventions in the hospital should –1 be enjoyed by the users of the hospital,2 respect, sensitively, the particular setting, its location and culture,3 be appropriate to the type of space and support the specific activities of all the users. 26 Three Principles

27. THE PATIENT IS THE FOCUS 27