Fund Raising
Innovative Fund Raising Brings Art to a Hospital
By Brad T. Barker and J. William Kingston
Artwork is often the first thing to go when it comes to paring down costs associated with a new hospital. Not that anyone seriously disputes the research that shows art has the power to improve patient outcomes through lowered blood pressure, reduced stress, and sometimes even shortened recovery periods. Nor is there any argument that art simply makes hospitals more attractive and welcoming to staff and patients alike.It was therefore important to Indianapolis-based Community Hospital North to keep art in their latest project, a $170 million expansion that nearly doubled the hospital’s size.
To ensure that proposed art for a new patient tower became a reality, the Community Health Network Foundation came up with an innovative idea for raising funds. Why not target art patrons for donations specifically dedicated to purchasing art?
If the idea succeeded, original art would enhance the new hospital’s healing environment. What’s more, the plan would bring nontraditional donors to the facility—donors who might not typically include a hospital in their philanthropy.
Art Donors Come Through
The idea worked beautifully. In fact, it enhanced the overall fund-raising efforts of the foundation and helped develop camaraderie among all participating donors. Today, 51 pieces of original art, all specially commissioned for the hospital, grace the building’s interiors.
Paintings and sculpture create a warm, comforting effect in a spacious, sunlit gallery just inside the hospital’s new main entrance. On the walls of the upper floors, art serves as a positive distraction for visitors and patients alike. What’s more, nurses and other hospital staff report that the art is a real morale booster in their work environment.
“It was a tremendous collaborative effort that brought so many pieces of art produced by local artists to our hospital,” says Dan Appel, a trustee of the Community Health Network Foundation. He is also the board chair of the Indianapolis Museum of Art and of the Arts Council of Indianapolis.
“The foundation made sure art patrons had a chance to contribute; the Arts Council of Indianapolis facilitated the process of selecting local artists; and architectural designers met with each artist to convey the vision for the art and the space where it would be displayed,” he says. The Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis and American Art Resources in Houston were also involved in researching and selecting artists.
Embracing Local Culture
It is important that every hospital be an integral part of its community, so the idea of showcasing Indiana artists became an appealing way to make that link to Indianapolis.
“As evidenced by its name, Community Hospital North has a close connection to the population it serves,” Appel says. “To have the hospital enlivened by art from local artists is a perfect fit.”
There was plenty of talent to choose from. The design team visited not only the Indianapolis Arts Council, but also local art museums, art schools and art centers. They were very impressed with the quality of artwork being produced in the state.
“Indianapolis has an impressive artist community capable of exceptional works,” says Dori Mommers, interior designer for the hospital project from RTKL, the architectural and design firm responsible for the hospital expansion.
Another advantage to the hospital art project was that Community Health Network Foundation trustees active in the arts community were able to make connections between the hospital and local art patrons.
Overall, it was a win-win situation. Donors were enthusiastic about supporting local artists whose work would create a restorative environment in a premier Indianapolis hospital—a hospital designed to showcase paintings and sculpture. In turn, the foundation’s investment in local artists has helped further develop Indianapolis’ art culture. In fact, the hospital foundation raised more than its goal of $400,000 and was able to purchase even more art pieces than it originally envisioned.
An Art-enriched Environment
Of course, not every kind of art is appropriate for health care settings, so interior designers from RTKL met with each artist to explain the types of art that enhance healing environments—art that evokes comfort, trust and welcome.
For this particular setting, bright colors and a contemporary feel were sought to complement the architecture of the hospital’s public spaces.
Designers also predetermined the location for each piece so the artist could customize the work for that location. Each artist then submitted a conceptual sketch for approval to move forward. Once the concept was approved, the artist was free to create.
And create they did—from an iconic 800-pound glass and metal chandelierlike sculpture to brightly-colored Indiana landscapes to forged copper textiles and much more. Dramatically beautiful artwork throughout the hospital has helped to create a healing environment that conveys the dedicated services and care provided there.
Brad T. Barker, AIA, is senior vice president at RTKL, a global architecture and planning firm. He is also managing director of the firm’s Dallas-based Health Practice Group and can be reached at bbarker@rtkl.com. J. William Kingston is president of the Community Health Network Foundation in Indianapolis. He can be reached via e-mail at jkingston@ecommunity.com.
This article 1st appeared in the November 2007 issue of Trustee Magazine.
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