Art in mental health settings: who is it for and what is the role of the artist?

There has been increasing research since the end of the Covid 19 pandemic on the benefits of art in health settings, including mental health services. This paper will explore the journey I encountered as lead artist (jointly with Anna Frijsten) of a project with Grenfell Health and Wellbeing Service users and staff to create new, permanent artworks for their centre at St Charles’ Hospital, North Kensington, London. The centre offers therapy to survivors and bereaved from Grenfell Tower and the surrounding Lancaster West Estate, following the fire on 14 June 2017, that killed 72 people. The project will be considered as a case study of an artist's role in healthcare settings.

This case study will be put into conversation with the recent work of the international Hospital Murals Evaluation (HoME) study of the Jameel Arts and Health Lab with NYU Steinhardt, evaluating benefits of art in medical settings for patients (‘service users’) and staff for their wellbeing. This study includes the UK charity Hospital Rooms, which centres the artist within its projects, and expresses their intention that the art they create in the mental health hospitals should be of a similar standard to that shown in museums.

In documenting this case study project, conclusions are drawn as to the relevance of the professional ‘quality’ of the art, as weighed up against the level of agency and input of the service users and staff members in the creation of the artwork.