Our region is lucky to be the home of one of the top-ranked hospitals for children in the country, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center (CCHMC). Known for its outstanding clinical services and medical research, CCHMC is also focused on providing the best possible experience for patients and their families. Michael Browning is the Assistant Vice President of Design, Construction, and Space Management at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and he recently shared with us how investing in artwork and arts programs is an important strategy for improving patient experience:

"The role of art in the Cincinnati Children’s environment is to contribute to the creation of welcoming, uplifting, inspiring healing environments and to serve as a catalyst for community engagement. For patients experiencing the stress of a hospital visit or medical procedure, art can provide a positive distraction, decrease perception of pain, and reduce anxiety – all of which can contribute to an improved outcome for that patient. When patients are engaged with making art with their families and staff, it can aid in building patient support networks and provide an outlet for individual expression as part of the healing process."

To bring art into the hospital environment, CCHMC is engaged in diverse partnerships broadly representative of all the arts and cultural assets in our communities.  They commission the work of professional artists, engage with local arts organizations like ArtWorks, Cincinnati Art Museum, and Visionaries + Voices, and partner with local universities and schools.  Since 2009, more than 900 art pieces have been installed throughout CCHMC’s campuses and more than 2,500 participants have been engaged.

In addition, CCHMC has been a tremendous supporter of the ArtsWave annual community campaign for many years. In 2014, they increased the number of employees contributing by almost 50%, and their Sing Off event was part of the inspiration for our CincySings region-wide competition. CCHMC understands the arts can have a transformative effect on the lives of everyone in our community.  ArtsWave is grateful for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center’s support of the arts across our region and its partnership in leveraging the power of the arts to improve health outcomes in our community.