Discover and celebrate the stories of the people that make up our NHS. Marking 75 years of our National Health Service, this powerful new artwork is an unprecedented collaboration between 19 hospital trusts and a creative team led by Kwame Kwei-Armah.
Building on the incredible - and often hidden - work of the National Arts in Hospitals Network, thousands of staff will explore, share and reflect upon what being part of the NHS means to them, building a unique portrait of an organisation through its people, told through art and creativity.
Our NHS Stories is a powerful new artwork celebrating the stories of the people that make up our NHS at its 75th anniversary. This unprecedented collaboration between 19 hospital trusts across England and a creative team led by Kwame Kwei-Armah, will engage thousands of NHS staff through the arts and creativity to explore, share and reflect on what being part of the NHS means to them, and the impact it has had on their lives.
Hospitals across England will celebrate the incredible and diverse creative activities that happen every day – from porters writing poetry, to dementia nurses dancing with patients. Our National Health Stories will shine a light on the art and creativity happening in hospitals, but often hidden from public view. Each unique story will be told through different forms of artwork - music, poetry, drawings, paintings, writing, dance - developed through a nationwide engagement programme by and with staff.
The programme will culminate in November 2023 with a day-long series of events, taking place as a relay across England, and one major finale performance, curated by Kwei-Armah and creative team. This finale will stitch together the multitude of individual stories to create a unique portrait of an organisation through its people, providing a window for all of us to powerfully explore, share and reflect upon the profound impact of the NHS on our public life.
The project is funded by Arts Council England, NHS Charities Together in partnership with NHS England. It has been made possible through the support and funding of the 19 participating NHS Trusts and their hospital charities.