Children’s Hospital to spruce up ward with local art

Local artists are being invited to create child-friendly nature-themed original artworks for the walls of CK5, the childhood cancer, blood disorders and transplants ward at the Health Sciences Centre Children’s Hospital.

The pilot art project is part of a broader $2.5-million campaign by the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba to renovate 15 patient rooms, treatment rooms, a family lounge, nursing station and shared spaces used daily by hundreds of children and their families.

Artists from communities served by the hospital, including Manitoba, northwestern Ontario, Nunavut and parts of Saskatchewan, are invited to submit fully developed digitized pieces for consideration.

This is the ward’s first significant infrastructure upgrade since the early 1980s.

“We want to bring a little bit of light into the rooms. We really want our artists to focus on nature scenes. We’re looking at how we integrate all the elements of nature, from the different landscapes to the flora and fauna, with things that kids can relate to while having some fun and bringing the ward to life,” says Stefano Grande, president and CEO of the Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Submissions will be managed through community youth arts centre Graffiti Art Programming (GAP). To date, 36 works have been received since the invitation was issued last week.

“Artists are truly answering the call to help support kids. We hope staff will also benefit from the artwork. It’s a heavily emotional environment to work in and there’s a vast community of artists out there who supporting the work and healing done in the hospital,” says Stephen Wilson, GAP executive director.

A committee of art professionals, hospital donors and staff, as well as families and children who have received treatment on CK5 in the past will select up to 20 new and original works as part of the project.

Artists will have to submit one completed digital design suitable for large-format vinyl printing. Selected artwork will be professionally printed on durable hospital grade vinyl, which will then be applied directly to the walls of each inpatient unit.

Artists will be compensated $3,000 each if their work is chosen.

The deadline to submit completed pieces is on Friday, Feb. 2. Successful artists will be contacted by Feb. 20. Visit wfp.to/in2 for more information.

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