The ‘Sensing Spaces of Healthcare’ exhibition was inspired by the creative methods that were used to carry out research with NHS staff, visitors, and patients at Southmead Hospital and at Great Ormond Street Hospital. During the research participants imagined their dream hospital environments through creating collages, maps, clay forms, and listening to audio recordings of hospital environments. Imagining and creating aspects of their dream hospitals allowed us to collectively explore opportunities for change within current settings.

Following the onsite research artists Rebecka Fleetwood-Smith, Gawain Hewitt, Jonathan Van Beek, and Rosa Nguyen were invited to create new artworks that used the ‘Sensing Spaces of Healthcare’ creative methods as a starting point. The exhibition acted as a provocation to re-engage and re-consider the hospital environment and expand understandings of what healthcare spaces could look and feel like.

The exhibition was devised and led by Dr Rebecka Fleetwood-Smith, supported by Sofie Layton, and GOSH Arts and Fresh Arts. The exhibition showed at University College London, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Link Gallery, April 2023 – July 2023, and at Maternity Department, Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Trust, August 2023 – January 2024.

Please find below links to the creative audio descriptions by each of the artists. Creative audio description was led by Clarke Reynolds and the audio was produced by Lonny Evans and Alex Barron.

Images by Dan Weill Photography.