Supportive dashes of creativity

‘While struggling with illness and medication, I found the art in the corridors was a healing influence and these dashes of creativity supported me.’

– Former patient

The Art Collection of University Hospital Waterford is the biggest collection in any healthcare facility in Ireland. This extensive collection of over 600 artworks is curated and managed by Waterford Healing Arts and features work by well-known Irish artists including Pauline Bewick, Donald Teskey, Tom Molloy, Paul Mosse, Amelia Stein, Carmel Mooney, Janet Mullarney, Robert Ballagh and Graham Knuttel, alongside work by exciting emerging and international artists.

Art Collection

Artworks can be found throughout the hospital, from the public corridors to the ceilings of clinical spaces, transforming the hospital building from a bare, sterile, institutional space to a vibrant, supportive, human place, offering sustenance and easing anxiety, as well as simply inviting patients, staff and visitors to engage with contemporary art.

The art collection has been central to the work of Waterford Healing Arts since its inception. Works on loan from the Arts Council, Waterford Municipal Collection, the Office of Public Works and private collections are displayed alongside artworks received through generous donations from artists and benefactors including the Irish Contemporary Arts Society.

The Per Cent for Art Scheme has also contributed to the growth of the collection. Working in partnership with the HSE South East Capital Projects Department, Waterford Healing Arts has managed art commissions for new capital developments and renovations at University Hospital Waterford and the nearby Waterford Residential Care Centre.