At Sheffield Hospitals Charity, we’re delighted that the artwork on Maple Ward at the Longley Centre has been shortlisted for a national award recognising the therapeutic benefits of art in care environments, alongside the collaborative approach behind its creation.
The Art Therapy and Therapeutic Environments teams at Sheffield Health Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust have been nominated for Art Installation of the Year at the Design in Mental Health Awards 2026 for their work on the ward refurbishment.
We were proud to have funded the coproduced artwork produced through creative workshops that brought together people who use mental health services, NHS staff and local artists. The project has resulted in a wide range of artwork displayed throughout the ward, including original pieces developed alongside Sheffield artists, locally created professional works, and conversation-starting classic images.
The local artists involved were Zoe Genders, Tomekah George, Sam Groom, SOME.GAL., and Jill Ray.
A key aim of both the artwork and the wider refurbishment was to move away from a clinical and institutional feel, helping to create a more welcoming and therapeutic environment. The overarching theme across the ward is earth, sea and sky, reflecting evidence that imagery connected to nature can help reduce stress and promote calm.
Alongside this, a gallery wall of diverse classic images and a world map were included to encourage conversation and connection.
Beth Crackles, CEO of our charity, said:
“We’re delighted to have supported the creative workshops that brought service users, artists and NHS staff together to co-create and install this beautiful artwork across Maple ward. Projects like this demonstrate the real impact charitable funding can have in creating welcoming, therapeutic, and truly person-centred environments. It’s wonderful to see the work recognised, and a real testament to the creativity and collaboration of everyone involved.”
Hannah Godfrey, professional lead for arts therapy and arts in health at the Trust, said:
“We know that art and visual imagery can play a hugely important role in the care we provide to people in this city. This project was a pleasure to work on as we were really able to bring the city in with us, through the artists we worked with and the imagery we produced. I’m proud of our bold approach, and I want to say a big thank you to the service users, artists, architects, and everybody who helped to make this a reality.”
Adele Sabin, head of the therapeutic environments project team, said:
“I’m delighted that everybody who worked on this ward refurbishment has got the recognition they deserve. They approach mental healthcare with creativity, freshness and passion, and that can only benefit the service users who use the ward as they recover.”
The Design in Mental Health Awards celebrate projects that improve mental health outcomes through design, delivery, and management of therapeutic environments. The winners will be announced on 2 June 2026 at Coventry Building Society Arena.
Published: Sunday 17th of May 2026