‘I’m not an artist’
This is often the first thing patients say when Jennie Vegt and the Artists on the Ward invite them to create art.
Artist Jennie Vegt tries her best not to come into a patient’s room with an agenda. Her first priority is to make patients feel seen and to get to know their creative interests. Her goal is simple: “Let’s bring arts experiences to the bedside.”
Since 2021, Vegt has been an artist-in-residence through the Artists on the Ward program at the University of Alberta Hospital (UAH) in Edmonton. The program’s definition of art is extremely loose; it could be gardening, baking, woodworking, farming or any creative endeavours the patient has. Vegt notes that “in the hospital context, a lot of the patients’ identities have been stripped down and the program gives them an opportunity to creatively express themselves.”
Participatory art can reconnect patients with who they are outside the hospital and boost confidence or shine a light in an otherwise dark time. It is inspiring to see the patient’s initial hesitation turn into surprising engagement.
“We go in with art supplies, a friendly approach and a listening ear. In times of adversity, you see some of the patients use the session to create meaning out of a painting, or find a path of resilience,” reflects Vegt. “The Artists on the Ward have become pole vaulters of barriers that people have in terms of art engagement and self-expression.”
Vegt also notes that other than meaning-making, there is also value in distracting someone from their distress through simple things like listening to music, painting or laughing together. “We may never end up talking about anything very deep, but then at the end of that session someone says ‘I really needed this’ or ‘this took my mind off the pain,’ which might be more aligned with their needs at that time.”
Vegt tells the story of one patient who went from a state of lassitude to, within a half hour, singing along to “Can’t Get No Satisfaction” and rocking out in the hospital room.
“We go in with art supplies, a friendly approach and a listening ear,” says Vegt. (Photo credit: Jennie Vegt).
(Photo credit: Jennie Vegt).
Previously, Vegt worked in seniors’ recreational therapy where she started a portrait-drawing program. (Photo credit: Jennie Vegt).
(Photo credit: Jennie Vegt).
(Photo credit: Jennie Vegt).
Art and care
Artists on the Ward has been operating at UAH for over 25 years. But art has played an important role in the hospital from day one. When UAH opened in 1986, so did the McMullen Gallery, a space of reprieve and rejuvenation for patients and staff. In this space, Artistic Director Tyler Sherard organizes rotating shows of contemporary artists. Beyond the gallery, the hospital is home to over 1,800 artworks and curator Ellen Cunningham organizes self-guided art walks for patients interested in exploring them.
The gallery is wonderful, yet not all patients can access it on the main floor or take part in an art walk. So, the Artists on the Ward program employs professional artists, wearing purple lab coats, to bring the gallery experience to patients’ bedsides. The program is not funded by the public health care system but by the University Hospital Foundation (UHF), and its success depends on hospital staff, such as unit clerks and doctors, who see and respect the program’s impact.
Most similar initiatives across Canada are art-therapy-based, which is a type of treatment that uses art to help patients express and understand themselves. This is a very valuable focus and aligns with the Artists on the Ward program, but what makes UAH’s program unique is its focus on participatory art, emphasizing the inherent value of any form of arts participation.
Artists on the Ward works with the whole adult population of the hospital, covering a broad demographic of patients from the eating disorder unit, the burn unit, ICU, orthopedics, geriatrics and more. The program also reaches out through a variety of art forms, bringing in visual artists, musicians, a literary artist and dancers. The program even supported a line-dancing flash mob in the cafeteria.
Embedded researcher
After completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2011, Vegt worked in recreational therapy for seniors. In that role, she began a portrait-drawing program and was touched by how deeply her subjects were affected.
“They would be so pleased with the portrait, and I think they felt a little bit more seen, and then they would be a lot more willing to participate in my other activities,” says Vegt.
She also took psychology courses, eventually planning to pivot to a Master’s in Counselling. When Vegt joined the Artists on the Ward program in 2021, she realized the program had never been evaluated as an intervention. Drawing on her interest in psychology, she developed a proposal to analyze the program and help people understand what it could offer. The research proposal grew into her master’s thesis, which became a PhD in Arts and Health.
Today, Vegt describes herself as an embedded researcher. She still goes to bedsides and spends time with patients, but she also conducts research and interviews former and current UAH artists. In the thick of research, it can be difficult to maintain fervour for the work, but when Vegt comes back to the bedside to interact with patients, it’s easy to remember her motivation.
The Artists on the Ward are present for darkness, laughter and sorrow. They listen well to those who want to speak and are courageously present in the face of difficult circumstances. As Vegt continues her research, she notes the joy of a holistic approach to arts and health and is always looking for innovative ways to improve the program through reflection and collaboration.
In Vegt’s words, “The hospital is a difficult place, so if we can ever infuse a little bit of joy through the arts, we will.”
