Participation

Our participation programmes provide year round opportunities for patients to engage with the arts. Developing creative, interactive projects in the hospital setting, we work with external partners such as the Barbican Centre, Whitechapel Art Gallery, Trinity Laban, the London Symphony Orchestra and Polka Children's Theatre. These projects take the form of workshops and artists' residencies. We design initiatives that give patients the opportunity to learn new skills through stimulating and often unexpected processes of art, music and performance.

To find out about all our previous projects, download MP3s and watch short films please click here.

"I picked up a copy of Throw Caution to the Wind at Barts last week and wanted to congratulate you on the project - the concept is stimulating, the presentation and handling of the book were a pleasure and, of course, the anecdotes were entertaining. Unfortunately, I am a very frequent visitor and sometimes 'guest' at both Barts and the Royal London so I am delighted to discover the various projects that are flourishing."
Patient at Barts and The London

SPOKEN WORD

Apples and Snakes
Spill The Magic Beans

We have a very exciting project with spoken word extraordinaires Apples and Snakes this year. Their brilliant storytellers have visited our children’s wards in previous years and so delighted children and staff that we felt it was about time we invited them in to deliver a more ambitious residency. Storytellers such as Sally Pomme Clayton will perform their finest stories in and around the children’s wards; in classrooms, isolation rooms and play rooms, captivating children with tales from around the world, leading story writing workshops with children in the hospital school and offering CPD opportunities for staff to develop their own storytelling.

MUSIC

Spitalfields Music

The Song Weaver

This spring we start an ambitious new music residency with Spitalfields Music. Early years music specialists Zoe Palmer and Jack Ross, who delivered our popular Lullabies residency and Baby Bird’s Journey, return to lead singing workshops in three areas of the children's hospital; on the Neonatal Unit, on the Gastro ward and with children with a rare form of eye cancer (Retinoblastoma). Working with children under five years we'll be producing a bespoke CD of songs, specially composed for Speech and Language Therapists, with participating children and their families. The CD will be completed in early Autumn. Watch this space!

Matthew Barley
Around Britten
We're delighted to announce renowned cellist Matthew Barley is returning to deliver a series of intimiate, presented concerts for patients at Barts this spring. As part of Around Britten, Matthew's ambitious tour to celebrate the centenary of composer Benjamin Britten, Matthew will be visiting patients in wards and treatment areas, an auspicious beginning for the Rahere Summer Concert Series.

London Symphony Orchestra
Shake, Rattle and Roll!
The LSO are returning to the Royal London Children’s Hospital this spring to deliver an exciting programme of stories, songs and rhymes to our youngest patients and their parents in the neonatal unit and with infants who have feeding complications.

“Whilst in hospital this time our son has found great pleasure listening to the musicians along with interactive singing and instrumentation with Vanessa, who was excellent at reaching out to and involving as many of the children as she could… He absolutely loved the music sessions, becoming animated, and interacting in ways that he just hasn’t done for a long time. Being so close to the music, seeing the instruments and being gently and gradually encouraged to take part has been the best form of therapy for him. As his parents too, seeing his reaction and really enjoying the sessions ourselves, has really helped us through some difficult times here.”

Parent of 4 year old patient

Music Conservatoires
We developed two new music partnerships this year. Students from both the Royal Academy of Music's Open Academy and the Barbican and Guildhall School are co-facilitating a series of workshops and performances across Barts, The Royal London and Whipps Cross this year. Music students gain invaluable insight and training into the skills essential for working in hospital environments while patients meet emerging professional musicians, take part in performances, explore and experiment with instruments and sounds and write new music.

London Symphony Orchestra
School Visits
LSO musicians and facilitator Mark Withers provide a fantasic on-going and fully inclusive music service for the hospital school. Every session is different and tailored to the young people attending. Patients have the exciting opportunity to meet professional musicians and hear live some of the LSO's unique and well known film soundtrack repertoire. Workshops invite patients to direct, conduct and record musicians, creating new compositions and sound effects on music software 'Garageband'.
www.lso.co.uk

VISUAL ART

National Portrait Gallery
My Superheroes
The National Portrait Gallery have begun a two-year programme of brilliant, creative workshops for children at the Royal London Hospital. Patients are exploring inspirational stories of men and women from the National Portrait Gallery's Collection and responding creatively. Drawings and photographs, poems and short stories inspired by the NPG Collection are being used to create their own pictures.

A high quality activity book has been produced and is being distributed to young patients and their families through the hospital school and Play Department.

www.npg.org.uk