Arts and mental health charity Hospital Rooms has launch ed an ambitious three-year project (2025–2028) across NHS Mental Health Services , with funding from Arts Council England . NELFT is part of the new landmark project.  

The pioneering initiative will transform hospital spaces nationwide, ensuring that communities identified as most impacted by the Mental Health Act—young people, adults in the criminal justice system, Black communities, and people with learning disabilities and autistic people—have equitable access to high-quality cultural and creative experiences.   

Delivered in collaboration with NHS Trusts in Birmingham, Bristol, North East London and South West Yorkshire, the project will:   

● Commission 52 site-specific artworks for hospitals   

● Deliver 150+ artist-led workshops with patients and NHS staff   

● Foster major cultural partnerships with a consortium of cultural partners—including:   

Arnolfini, Art in Motion, ActionSpace , Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Birmingham City University, Ikon Gallery, Intoart , Midlands Art Centre, Spike Island, Tate, The Hepworth Wakefield, University of the West of England Bristol, Whitechapel Gallery, Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) and the Hospital Rooms Gallery Circle   

● Develop and publish the first-ever National Framework for Equal Access to Arts in Mental Health Services, consolidating eight years of rigorous, evidence-based research   

The National Framework for Equal Access to Arts in Mental Health Services will:   

● Provide a scalable model for the integration of arts programmes in mental health hospitals across the UK and beyond   

● Develop creative programmes that are trauma-informed, autism friendly, and culturally competent for mental health care settings   

● Ensure that NHS hospitals become environments where patients can engage meaningfully with contemporary art as part of their care and recovery   

● Embed reciprocal exchanges between museums and mental health hospitals   

Niamh White, Co-Founder and Director of Hospital Rooms, says:   

"For too long, locked and secure mental health hospitals have been stark, isolating environments. This is a defining moment for Hospital Rooms. This project marks a critical shift—from one-off interventions towards a national, systemic approach that will fundamentally change mental healthcare. This is about more than decoration—it's about equity, dignity, and transformation."   

Emma Moody, Associate Director for Service Development and Commissioning at Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, says:   

“We’re delighted to be partnering with Hospital Rooms on this exciting project to create a series of artworks for our new specialist facility, The Kingfisher. We’ve seen through the engagement that local service users have had with the workshops Hospital Rooms have run, just how valuable art is to people, and the difference it makes to their wellbeing. This is a really brilliant opportunity for people with learning disabilities and autistic people to work with world renowned artists, to deliver something truly special.”   

Paul Calaminus, CEO at North East London Foundation Trust, says:   

"We are thrilled to collaborate with Hospital Rooms on this pioneering initiative, which will bring world-class art and creative experiences into our mental health services. This project will have a profound impact on the well-being and recovery of the communities we serve”.   

Dan O'Mara, head of nursing at Parkview Clinic, part of Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, says:   

"We're so thrilled to have the opportunity for our clinic to be transformed in this way. The Hospital Rooms team has really taken the time to understand our current stark and clinical environment and how it can be improved to not only benefit the wellbeing of our young people, but our staff too.   

"They also understand how important it is for our young people to be centrally involved in the process, so that the environment reflects their opinions, tastes, thoughts and feelings. This project will be so much more to us than just something to look at. We look forward to working with the artists to engage our young people, so the artwork can become part of the therapeutic experience we offer for them."   

The Hospital Rooms National Mental Health Framework is in partnership with:   

● Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (Bristol): People with learning disabilities and autistic people   

● Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (Parkview): Young people   

● North East London Foundation Trust (Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge and Waltham Forest): Black communities   

● South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (Barnsley and Wakefield): Adults in locked and secure services   

The project is supported by Arts Council England, Winsor & Newton, the Garfield Weston Foundation and the Hiscox Foundation.   

Find out more a bout Hospital Rooms Homepage - Hospital Rooms