Is Art Good for You?

This chapter, authored by Susan Pointe, describes the evolution of the McMullen Art Gallery at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. As Dolly mentioned, the gallery began as a out-of-the-way space frequented primarily by the public, and not its intended audience of hospital patients. To fix this problem, Pointe, gallery staff, and volunteers decided to bring the art to patients, instead of having the art only be available to mobile patients in the gallery.

The Artists-on-the-Wards program used expert, paid staff to visit four patient areas and either help the patients create art or the artist would paint for the patient (118). This project lead to the creation of a "Mural of Hands", "Healing Tiles", and "Healing Ceiling." These projects included the patients in transforming the visual space of the hospital. Patients who participated in these activities reportedly felt less stress and anxiety (119), although Pointe is quick to acknowledge that this program is not art therapy.

With the immense popularity of bringing art to the patients, Pointe wonders if it is really necessary to create exhibits in the gallery space. She feels the true value of the McMullen Art Gallery comes from its outreach, and not the gallery itself. The gallery is not a "collect and conserve" space and exisits to serve hospital patients, so it is not constrained by a strict mission statement. Therefore, Pointe concludes her chapter by wondering if the hospital needs a gallery at all, or if money would be better spent by creating a series of temporary exhibitions
throughout the hospital.

Personally, I think that due to the nature of the building and the fact that many patients can't visit the gallery without assitance, it might serve their needs better to create exhibits on each floor or area that patients can easily enjoy. However, the gallery began as a place for the public to enjoy the art as well. Should the gallery close and exlusively focus on the patients' needs or should continue to exist and serve the needs of a few, and continue to be augmented by the Artists-on-the-Wards program?