Art Kart

‘The transformation from a child crying with pain, to a happy cheerful child was amazing.’ – Parent

The Art Kart is a brightly-coloured converted medicine trolley which brings art materials to patients in the paediatric and psychiatric units of University Hospital Waterford. These sessions with patients are led by an artist-facilitator and have proven invaluable in enabling patients to develop their own creative resources at times of anxiety and boredom.

In the paediatric ward, children make art with visual artist Boyer Phelan twice a week and have the opportunity to display their work in colourful frames located on the ward.

Martin Kennedy brings the Art Kart into the sub-acute unit of the Department of Psychiatry every week. Over a year-long period from 2012, the patients of the unit created a series of four artworks in collaboration with Martin entitled The Bigger Picture. The artworks, which explore the themes of sky, sea, forests and land, feature 112 individual paintings made by 90 people and celebrate the creativity of those involved. The artworks are now on permanent display in the department.