CW+ and the Royal College of Art (RCA) recently marked 10 years of partnership at a special event held at the RCA’s Battersea campus on Thursday 27 November.Â
The collaboration, part of the CW+ RELAX Digital programme, began in 2015 and invites students from RCA’s Sculpture and Contemporary Art Practice programmes to create digital artworks for display at Chelsea and Westminster and West Middlesex University hospitals. The works aim to transform hospital waiting rooms into calming, engaging spaces, enhancing patient experience in the same way a library sets the tone for quiet reflection.Â
Celebrating the impact of RELAX Digital
The event featured a curated reel showcasing a decade of digital artworks and a thoughtful panel discussion exploring the creative process and the impact of the partnership on artists and healthcare environments. Â
Panellists included RCA alumni and RELAX Digital artists Kit Mead, Paola Estrella and Dominique Croshaw, alongside Zheyuan Zhang (PhD candidate in digital mental health and wellbeing technology design with CW+ and Imperial College), Andrea Weigert (Consultant Anaesthetist at the Trust), Dr Harold Offeh (Head of Programme, Contemporary Art Practice at the RCA), and Jordan Baseman (Reader in Time-based Media and Senior Tutor, Moving Image and Contemporary Art Practice at the RCA).Â
A decade of collaboration
Trystan Hawkins, Director of Patient Environment at CW+, said: ‘This partnership demonstrates the power of art to transform healthcare environments and improve patient experience. We are proud to celebrate 10 years of collaboration with the RCA and look forward to continuing this important work.’Â
RELAX Digital is part of the CW+ Arts in Health programme, which aims to bring creativity and comfort to patients, staff and visitors across the Trust.Â
