Community Mural Project
The Community Mural Project builds upon a tradition that started in the 1930s when the depression-era Works Progress Administration (WPA) supported the creation of murals in virtually every New York City public hospital. From 2019 through 2021, dozens of artists collaborated with staff, patients and community members at each NYC Health + Hospitals location and created 26 murals.
From 2023 – 2025, Arts in Medicine engaged 34 artists and their assistants to produce 20 new murals. The aim of the program is to use a collaborative mural making process as a tool to build trust between the hospitals and their communities, foster a sense of belonging for staff, patients, and visitors, and to promote a sense of community and wellbeing. The Community Mural Program is generously supported by the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund.
The Community Mural Project is one of the best, most exciting and fun projects that I have seen in my close to 50 years in philanthropy. The activity of creating murals breaks down barriers and it’s also just a lot of fun. It makes people happy, it relieves stress, it builds teamwork, and it bolsters pride in the hospitalLaurie M. Tisch
Philanthropist
Increased sense of belonging
Decrease in stress
Greater connection to staff & patients
More likely to choose NYC Health + Hospitals in the future
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In the 1980’s medical schools began to recognize the important role the arts and humanities played in their educational offerings and began to incorporate them into medical school curriculum. Art observation was developed in medical teachings in the 1990’s at Yale University, to promote individual reflection, foster empathy and increase awareness for the psychosocial context of patient and caregiver experience. The Arts in Medicine department at NYC Health + Hospitals has iterated this into an evidenced based program that brings together clinical and non-clinical teams. In the sessions the participants learn from one another’s shared experiences, gain comfort and increase their tolerance for ambiguity. This program aligns with our Helping Healers Heal program that supports frontline staff members in coping with traumatic experiences at NYC Health + Hospitals and deepens our understanding of one another and enhances connection.
HHArt of Medicine, currently partners with the Brooklyn Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Art to coordinate sessions utilizing pieces from the NYC Health + Hospitals collection often with artists found in both collections. Each museum partner brings an educator and a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist that works closely with our Wellness Directors to create a safe environment for staff to reflect on their experiences through artwork-led discussions, artmaking and reflective writing.
