LONDON.- Hauser & Wirth have been a key supporter of Hospital Rooms over the past three years through annual auctions that have collectively raised over £200,000 for the charity. The gallery is now solidifying its partnership with Hospital Rooms through a new commitment to the organisation until 2025. Commencing this Mental Health Awareness Week (9-15 May) and for the next three years, Hauser & Wirth will host a series of events and an annual major exhibition at its London gallery that feature acclaimed artists and insights by experts by experience of mental health services. This ongoing research will be supported by clinicians, university partners and representatives from the World Heath Organization. The purpose of the partnership is to raise awareness of Hospital Rooms’ mission to radically transform the face of mental health care in the UK and beyond, and to generate new knowledge around how the arts operate in the mental health sphere. A major exhibition (19 August - 14 September 2022) featuring new installations by artists Mark Titchner, Harold Offeh and Michelle Williams Gamaker will culiminate in a fundraising auction (14 September 2022) and raise the profile of the charity’s important work internationally.
Avant Arte are also announced as the official editions partner of Hospital Rooms, supporting the charity to raise funds and awareness around the role that art can play in addressing mental health issues to its community of 2.5m art lovers and collectors.
Together with Hauser & Wirth and Avant Arte, Hospital Rooms will host a fundraising auction and release a suite of limited editions every year that will generate significant funds enabling Hospital Rooms to bring these ideas to reality in three newly built mental health hospitals across England. The first hospital to be selected for this support is the River Centre, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust which provides inpatient care to people with severe and enduring mental health diagnoses.
Niamh White, Co-Founder, Hospital Rooms said: “These landmark partnerships put Hospital Rooms on a new trajectory for the future. Not only will they raise significant funds to allow us to work in more ambitious ways with more people, they will also enhance awareness of the role that arts can play in supporting mental health at an international level.”
Neil Wenman, Partner, Hauser & Wirth: “We have been long-standing supporters of Hospital Rooms, with both Niamh and Tim alumini of the gallery. Their extraordinary passion and generosity is very close to our hearts. Having seen the impact of their work in NHS mental health inpatient units across the country, we firmly believe that art plays an important role in changing lives and providing joy and dignity to stimulate and heal. We are thrilled to announce this three-year long partnership to facilitate long-term planning and ambitions and help reach a wider audience.”
Mazdak Sanii, Co-Founder and CEO, Avant Arte, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be working with Hospital Rooms as their official editions partner for the next three years. Avant Arte exists because of the positive impact we know art can have on people. And our belief that it can impact many millions more than it does today. We’ve been inspired by the important and profound work Hospital Rooms does in bringing art to those suffering from mental health issues and we’re honoured to be able to support them.”
Mike Seaman, Deputy Director of Nursing, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are delighted to be working with Hospital Rooms to make art and creativity central to recovery. The importance of a therapeutic environment in supporting people with mental health needs cannot be overstated. We know that art can play a huge part in helping to create this environment and I have no doubt that this project will bring huge benefits for our staff and patients as we develop modern, improved facilities at Hellesdon Hospital.”
