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Welcome to the National Arts in Hospitals Guidance



A practical and inspiring resource to help you plan, deliver and grow arts programmes in hospital settings.


Developed in partnership with members of the National Arts in Hospitals Network (NAHN) and funded by Arts Council England, this collection of guidance, case studies and templates has been designed to support both new and experienced professionals working in hospital arts. Written by creative health consultant Jane Willis, with generous contributions from NAHN members across the UK, the guidance reflects a rich diversity of approaches and insights from real-world hospital arts programmes. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to strengthen an existing programme, you’ll find practical tools and inspiration to suit your needs. You don’t have to read everything at once – just start where you are and explore what feels most useful.

The resources are grouped into two sections, programme guidance and management guidance:

Programme Guidance


Practical information on delivering high-quality hospital arts activity:

  • Collection Management
  • Art and the Environment
  • Participatory Arts

Management Guidance


Support for strategic planning and sustainable delivery:

  • Governance, Management, and Funding
  • Strategy
  • Evaluation

Acknowledgements


This project was shaped and supported by a dedicated Steering Group made up of NAHN members from NHS Trusts, health charities and arts organisations across the UK. We are grateful to them for their expertise and commitment.


  • 1. Caroline Barnes, Somerset Foundation NHS Trust
    2. Ruth Charity, Oxford Hospitals Charity
    3. Elinor Cole, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust Charity
    4. Andrea Davies, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
    5. Yvonne Farquharson and Hannah Dye, Breathe Arts Health Research (shared role)

  • 6. Katie Hickman, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
    7. Mir Jansen, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
    8. Neda Mohamadi, Southampton Hospitals Charity
    9. Guy Noble, University College London Hospital Arts
    10. Katie O’Callaghan, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital

  • 11. Vanessa Paynton, Art in Healthcare
    12. Sam Wade, The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
    13. Laura Waters, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
    14. Lucy Zacaria, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust