If art soothes the soul, then the patients and visitors at Bendigo's St John of God hospital will be benefiting.
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The hospital has worked with Bendigo artist Nathan Sims to create and curate a new arts space in its atrium area.
Art has been found to ease anxiety, stress and depression in patients, making it a worthwhile venture for the hospital.
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St John of God director of nursing and patient experience Andriy Kurtsev said the new arts space would be an important part of patient well-being.
"St John of God has a group strategy on arts and welfare," Mr Kurtsev said. "Through all our hospitals we display art, whether it is paintings or photo, because we know patients respond well to it and it brings life into clinical areas.
"Within our hospital system (we also) introduced various arts programs for patients. The hospital has music and art therapy programs for patients. Unfortunately with (coronavirus) restrictions this year, some programs are not as easy to implement."
Mr Sims, who is also known by his street artist name Mr Dimples, joined the project after meeting Mr Kurtsev through mutual friends.
"Andriy and I happened to be at lunch and were talking about how it can be a bit frustrating for local artists, as there are not many place local artists can exhibit work," Mr Sims said.
"Two days later Andriy contacted me and said he had an opportunity to offer space and asked if I was interested in curating it."
Mr Sims called out to fellow Bendigo artists to curate the first exhibition in the new St John of God arts space.
"The big push from that was promoting local artists and not getting Melbourne artists," he said.
"Through the BendArts and the Melbourne and Victorian Artists pages on Facebook, I reached out and called for Bendigo artists.
"We had about 80 apply. Unfortunately, I couldn't fit them all in and had to cut it off to 25. I thought it might go the other way.
"Ultimately we want to rotate an exhibition every three months and not use the same artists all the time. So it was good to get a good response."
The exhibition in the St John of God hospital's atrium will remain in place until February.
Mr Sims already has two more exhibitions planned and hopes the space will be a permanent feature for Bendigo artists.
"The aim is to be permanent and set up a gallery-type system," he said. "Being a volunteer space, I cant dedicate too much time to it, so exhibitions every three months opens it up to (more) artists.
The aim is to be permanent and set up a gallery-type system. Being a volunteer space, I cant dedicate too much time to it, so exhibitions every three months opens it up to (more) artists.
- Nathan Sims, exhibition curator
"This exhibition had a good variety of artists who applied but we have narrowed it down to more contemporary pieces. Wes Franklin is in there, so is Chris Duffy along with some oil works, lino prints, some fabric and mixed media piece and photos as well.
"It's an eclectic blend of contemporary artwork. The next one we will look to have more landscapes and be more traditional. I also have an idea to do some solo exhibitions with someone like Chris Duffy who has a good reputation and whose work is bright and colourful."
Mr Sims hopes St John of God's efforts in creating a new space for Bendigo artists will inspire other businesses to consider showing local works.
"My main issue is to push more options for local artists," he said. "As an artist myself, that frustration is there, Melbourne artists come up and get (a lot of) opportunities.
"I think most businesses aren't aware of what the art scenes are like. Artists (I speak to) say the same thing - there's not enough at grassroots level.
"Council do stuff which is great, the Bendigo Art Gallery do big name stuff, so there's nothing really there for local artists. Most regional towns have spots for local artists but Bendigo has nothing and we're big enough to.
"I'd love to open a space myself and do it that way but there's the money thing. So it would be good if more businesses got on board with (spaces) like this."
Mr Kurtsev said establishing the arts space in the hospital also strengthened St John of God's relationship with the Bendigo community.
"The amount of interest from artists was quite incredible," he said. "They were willing to work with us and lend us pieces.
"The response has been really positive. It really opens up a link with community. The hospital is based on community, we enjoy that relationship and want to have it inside the hospital as well as outside.
Mr Kurtsev said the exhibition - which went up on November 30 - had already been well received by patients, staff and visitors.
"That large open space to left of cafe, where some of the (art space's) walls are have lots of natural light," he said. "Patients, visitors or any in the hospital can walk around and take a look.
"The art (currently featured) doesn't come with any story. It is want people to it to be and is based on understanding, feeling and is open to interpretation, which is always good.
"It's quite amazing seeing visitors and patients stopping and looking. The responses were really positive. It livens up that space, it is something to enjoy and gives people something to explore. Hospitals can be confronting, scary clinical spaces but if there is light and art there, it makes them more approachable."