Why art matters
Why creative health matters
Art helps keep us well. It can aid our recovery from illness and support us to live longer, better lives.
From waiting rooms to wards, surroundings have an impact on the way we think and feel. Art can transform stark clinical environments into compassionate care spaces filled with inspiration.
In December 2023, The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Health and Wellbeing and the National Centre for Creative Health published the Creative Health Review. Key messages from the review were that creative health is fundamental to a healthy and prosperous society and that it should be an integral part of a 21st century health and social care system – one that is holistic, person-centred, and which focusses on reducing inequalities and supporting people to live well for longer.
“A painting in A&E takes me to a different place. I thought you should know that your work not only helps the ill get better, it helps the well stay well.”
Police officer, Glan Clwyd Hospital, Wales
Key research has shown that:
- Art eases anxiety, stress and depression for both patients and care staff
- Art shortens patients’ length of stay in hospital
- Art reduces patients’ need for painkilling medication
- Art increases carer morale
- Art improves communication between patients and carers
- Art improves the overall experience of the care environment.
We think everyone should have the opportunity to experience these benefits. That’s why we’re dedicated to bringing art to everyone through our artwork loans and art activities.
Find out more about the difference Paintings in Hospitals makes…
paintings in hospitals
Welcome to Paintings in Hospitals. We provide art for a range of health and community care providers to enhance environments and boost wellbeing. We represent a range of national artists and have an online shop so that you can also experience the power of art and its effect on people.
PAINTINGS IN HOSPITALS TO BE INCORPORATED INTO LEADING NHS CHARITY
Paintings in Hospitals (PiH), which has been lending original pieces of visual art to health and care providers for over 65 years, is transferring its renowned art collection and merging with CW+, the official charity of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
PiH was founded by Sheridan Russell in 1959. His job was to help distribute aid and support to patients being treated in hospitals. He noticed that when he put original pieces of art on the wall, it helped everyone to feel better. His founding vision for PiH was that all patients in hospitals, their families, visitors and staff, could benefit from experiencing original pieces of art. Now with nationwide reach, the PiH collection has grown to over 3,000 artworks by more than 1,000 artists. Many are very well known, including Bridget Riley, Antony Gormley, Maggi Hambling, Yinka Shonibare, Helen Chadwick, Elizabeth Blackadder, Josef Albers, Anni Albers, Gillian Ayres, Ben Rivers, Alexander Calder, Elisabeth Frink and Ian Davenport. The charity’s artist patrons include Ian Davenport, Sir Antony Gormley OBE, Maggi Hambling CBE, Anita Klein and Bridget Riley CH CBE.
For over 30 years, CW+ has worked alongside Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to create a new type of hospital setting in which art is an integral element of the healing environment. The charity benefits from an established network of patrons, artists and healthcare providers, and has a pioneering Arts in Health programme that builds on the robust body of evidence that outstanding design and engagement with the arts can improve physical and mental wellbeing. The charity’s renowned collection of more than 2,000 artworks is primarily displayed at its two main sites – Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital.
The Chair of PiH, Professor Jane Anderson, said: ‘The visionary work PiH started 65 years ago as an outlier is now mainstream. Creative health – the idea that we pioneered – evidences the physical and mental health benefits of exposure to beautiful and inspiring art. Our founder’s innovative approach has since been solidly confirmed by evidence-based science, and the beneficial impact of creative health is now accepted by hospital administrators, funders and legislators.
'And so, to fulfil our mission to bring great art to patients, families and those caring for them, we are transferring our collection to CW+, a leading charity embedded within the NHS, with a long history in the creative health field.
'We share values and a passionate commitment to promoting and furthering the profound benefits of original art in health and care settings. With our combined sector experience of almost 100 years, we welcome this new era for the Paintings in Hospitals collection and are confident that CW+ will add significant value to the Paintings in Hospitals legacy.’
Current loans will remain where they are and CW+ will announce plans for the future of the Paintings in Hospitals collection in 2026.
Chris Chaney, Chief Executive of CW+, said: ‘We are excited to be merging with Paintings in Hospitals, whose work over the last six decades has had such a profound impact on countless people across the UK. We know from over 30 years of experience that visual art can play a hugely positive role on wellbeing and recovery, and we are committed to the long-standing shared vision of the two organisations that art be made available to as many people as possible in healthcare settings.’
For any questions regarding the collection or loans, please email arts@cwplus.org.uk.
29 July 2025
About our collection
Our art collection is the only national arts in health collection. Over 1,000 artists are represented, including Bridget Riley, Antony Gormley, Maggi Hambling, Yinka Shonibare, Gillian Ayres, Ian Davenport and many more and many more.
Paintings in Hospitals makes it easy for health and community care services to benefit from our art.
Our shop
Browse our collection of items by some of the UK's leading artists and designers here on our website or visit the Paintings in Hospitals online Shop.