‘Outside Light’ mural brightens access tunnel at Manitoba hospital

by carly_mchugh | 8 March 2024 1:39 pm

St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg recently unveiled “Outside Light,” a new mural designed to bring light and colour to the access tunnel that connects mental health patients and their loved ones to the facility’s McEwen Building.

As part of a partnership with Artists in Healthcare Manitoba, the team who produced the mural included people who were patients themselves. The goal of the project was to not only improve the experience for those walking to appointments, but also to assist with the artists’ own personal healing.

“Studies show creating art has benefits in mental health, reducing stress, and increasing resilience,” says Dr. Jane Moody, clinical lead of outpatient psychiatry with the hospital’s mental health program. “We feel that being involved in the creation of this mural has been beneficial to our patients and helps them in their journey toward recovery. They have given us a gift of not only the art itself, but a long-lasting testimony of that journey which will benefit countless others.”

Additionally, the mural serves as a continuous reminder of the role of art at St. Boniface Hospital. Over the years, various paintings and other creations have decorated its halls, offices, and walls, along with its on-site Galerie Buhler Gallery. This new project both keeps the tradition alive and takes it a step further, as its creation provides spirit, strength, and hope for patients, and has transitioned a drab, grey tunnel into a point of pride.

“At St. B, we truly believe in the healing power of art,” says president and CEO Nicole Aminot. “From our Art at the Bedside program to the many musicians you will hear playing for our patients, there’s not a day that goes by at St. B. where you won’t be exposed to the arts, and we firmly believe that’s a positive thing for our staff, patients, and visitors.”

The project was made possible through support from the Winnipeg Foundation, the Manitoba Arts Council, the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, and the St. Boniface Hospital Foundation. It was created in memory of Tom Carson, a former board chair of St. Boniface Hospital and Artists in Healthcare Manitoba, who also believed in the healing power of the arts.

Source URL: https://www.signmedia.ca/outside-light-mural-brightens-access-tunnel-at-manitoba-hospital/

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