To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the NHS, 'Our National Health Stories' launches today, a major programme of artistic work created in collaboration with Addenbrooke's and the Rosie and 18 other NHS Trusts across England.
The launch coincides with the CUH Arts Festival taking place this week.
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'Our National Health Stories' is a special collaboration between 19 hospital trusts across England and a creative team led by Kwame Kwei-Armah, which aims to 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.