Spotlight on Artwork at the New Mental Health and Addictions Centre (Business & Arts NL and NL Health Services)
When you think of a painting, a sculpture, a photograph, or any piece of visual art, in what type of setting do you imagine yourself? A museum? An art gallery? Or perhaps some other kind of arts and cultural institution?
Artwork isn't reserved for those places alone. By incorporating artwork into other kinds of settings, more people get to enjoy it and the benefits it brings. Just think of how looking at a beloved print in your home can lift your spirits, clear your mind or bring a wave of calm, even if just for a few moments. (Read more here about the benefits of viewing art.)
“Down By the Sea,” digital artwork mural by Deanne Achong. Photo: Business & Arts NL
There's real power in art, and that extends to health and wellness as well. That's why Business & Arts NL is thrilled to have partnered with NL Health Services (NLHS) to help bring visual art by local artists to the newly opened Mental Health and Addictions Centre (MHAC) in St. John’s.
The centre, which opened on April 13, is home to just over 150 artworks, which include three sculptural pieces; 11 murals; 120 framed prints, paintings, photographs and textile pieces; and 19 sets of digital artwork reproductions.
“Ice Fishing,” digital artwork mural by Jessica Winters. Photo: Business & Arts NL
“The Flow of Water” by Vessela Brakalova. Photo: Business & Arts NL
Since 2021, Business & Arts NL has been working with NL Health Services to research art in healthcare initiatives in other jurisdictions, help plan the artwork budget, help hire curators and consultants, design the artwork parameters to ensure the purchased artworks have the intended impact (working with a steering committee), advise on how to manage the procurement process, co-design calls for submissions and co-host public information sessions, facilitate selection committees, and assist with artist contracts and support installation, among other tasks.
“Oscillation” by Philippa Jones is the centrepiece of the atrium. Photo: Business & Arts NL
In Canada and around the world, bringing visual art into hospital settings is recognized more and more as a measurable improvement to therapeutic environments, in particular in the context of mental health facilities.
Creating space for a permanent art collection at MHAC demonstrates an understanding that art can make a significant contribution to healing and contribute to positive emotional experiences in otherwise clinical and challenging environments.
“Humber Valley in Fall,” digital artwork mural by Megan McNeill. Photo: Business & Arts NL
Mural by Craig Goudie. Photo: Business & Arts NL
This partnership and initiative has been focused on bringing original works of art by Newfoundland and Labrador artists into mental healthcare spaces to help create an environment that is welcoming, healing and rooted in community, and that reflects of a variety of voices and experiences.
Criteria for artwork selection were developed by Business & Arts NL in partnership with healthcare providers, NLHS staff, members of the Recovery Council, artists, and community representatives. The team and 14 selection committee members worked together to evaluate a total of 742 submissions in order to select the final collection.
"In 2021, I developed a public art strategy for the Mental Health and Addictions Facility — at the time it was just a hopeful vision. Since then, in partnership with NL Health Services and Business & Arts NL, we have brought that vision to life, issuing calls for artworks, setting criteria, and reviewing hundreds of submissions with artists, healthcare professionals, and community members, and installing over 150 artworks across the facility," says Jane Walker, curator and public art consultant.
“In both public and in-patient areas, we advocated for a range of energy, materials and processes in the artwork collection - from bright and optimistic to introspective and melancholy - honouring the varied emotional and psychological spaces of managing mental health and additions. Equally important was honouring Newfoundland and Labrador’s rich cultural diversity and landscapes, recognizing the deep connection between place, identity and well-being."
“Strength in Solitude” by Lisa Locke hangs in the main atrium. Photo: Business & Arts NL
Business & Arts NL helped steward this initiative through our Brokering Services, which help members of the private and public sectors engage with, hire, and purchase from artists across the province. (Read more about our Brokering Services here.)
“It has been wonderful working with Business & Arts NL on this project. Their dedication and expertise have been instrumental in bringing artwork that fosters a recovery-focused environment in the new Mental Health and Addictions Centre," says Megan Tucker, Senior Systems Transformation Consultant, Mental Health and Addictions Centre, NL Health Services.
“Natures Sanctuary” by Drift Mural Co. Photo: Business & Arts NL
"All the pieces selected for the facility were chosen giving special consideration to honouring the voices of individuals and family members’ experiences with mental illness and substance use disorder, and actively incorporating the perspectives of Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, disability and migrant individuals. The pieces foster a sense of calm, inspiration, and connection, helping patients feel supported in their recovery journey. By creating a warm, welcoming space, art reduces stress and promotes hope.”