Patients, their families, carers and staff members got together to showcase their artwork as part of our new Ardenleigh art gallery.

140 art pieces were collected as part of a summer art exhibition held at Ardenleigh. The former magnolia corridors at the centre have now been transformed into a colourful and meaningful array of artwork thanks to the recent project led by Deborah Tomlin-Taylor, our Senior Arts Psychotherapist.

Art can be a powerful form of communication and self-expression for individuals who find it difficult to put their feelings into words. Participants were given four weeks to create a piece of art that they could proudly exhibit. Submissions displayed a variety of themes exploring life, recovery and identify, all through different mediums such as paint, sculpture, crochet, or photography. 

Reflecting on the day, Deborah said:

“Working together in a collaborative way to create such a beautiful and diverse space is really meaningful.”

Located in Erdington, Birmingham, Ardenleigh is a 30 bedded female inpatient mental health hospital that serves the whole of the West Midlands, offering 24/7 multidisciplinary support. The hospital also consists of our Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) for young people up to the age of 19.

Patients from our Coral, Citrine and Tourmaline wards were able to mix at the event, giving them a shared sense of accomplishment, strengthening the Ardenleigh community and making them feel seen, heard, and valued. A few of our CAMHS patients also dropped by to view their work.

The event was so well received that the team is already making plans to do it again. James Ntalumbwa, Deputy Director of Nursing said that he would love to see the entire room filled with art by this time next year.

The event was made possible thanks to the generous funding of our charity, Caring Minds. If you would like to learn more about the charity or donate to fund more patient activities like this one, please visit the Caring Minds webpage.