January 3, 2023
Ms. Rosemary Ford, Parable Magazine
St. Joseph Hospital’s Arts in the Atrium Helps Heal
St. Joseph Hospital’s team passionately believes that art helps heal. It’s effort to build art and artistic experiences into culture dovetails beautifully with the hospital’s mission to “provide healing and care for the whole person, in service to all in our communities.”
One especially inspiring approach the hospital has taken to heal is revitalizing its Art in the Atrium program, which was popular prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and recently returned to focus on:
- Enhancing the hospital’s environment by displaying local artists’ work
- Hosting musicians from different genres to entertain for special events
- Partnering with community artists to offer unique classes and opportunities to be creative
Recent events included:
- A quarterly artwork installation facilitated by Nashua Area Artists’ Association. All art is for sale and the hospital receives 15% of the purchase price
- A lunchtime performance by Symphony NH, composed of many Nashua musicians
- A patriotic choral performance by World Academy students to acknowledge Veteran’s Day and honor local veterans
“Displaying art, hosting musicians, and partnering with local artisans is a powerful way for us to bring the community together,” shares Michele Canto, Manager of Volunteer Services, who oversees the program. “Our efforts are genuinely appreciated by patients, family members, visitors, and staff. We look forward to hosting several events and improving attendance, throughout 2023.”
Events planned for this year include a poetry writing class for Project Search interns. These interns, who thrive with cognitive and physical disabilities, work at the hospital. This class will teach them how to approach poetry writing as a way to express themselves.
Canto adds, “This is a terrific opportunity for our interns to share their thoughts and feelings in a way they may not have before.”
Bringing Community Together
St. Joseph Hospital’s President, John A. Jurczyck, FACHE, has been very supportive of the Arts in the Atrium program. Canto says, “Our entire team knows that providing care for people isn’t always clinical. The events provide an opportunity to bring our hospital community, as well as the Greater Nashua community, together. John understands there is great value in bringing people into the hospital to reintroduce them to all different types of care we provide.”
