Hearts Need Art has been connecting artists to patients since 2016 with a mission to create moments of joy, self-expression, and connection for those facing life-altering health challenges through arts engagement, advocacy, and innovation. Hearts Need Art received a 2022 $100,000 High Impact Grant to pilot a full-time Arts in Health program at Methodist Hospital Northeast. The program was designed to improve mood, social connectivity and pain levels of patients while helping healthcare workers experience improved mood and feel more appreciated, supported, and hopeful. Check out the Hearts Need Art gallery and hospital room window paintings at https://www.heartsneedart.org/gallery.
Q&A with Kim Perez, Program Coordinator, Hearts Needs Art:
With the 2022 High Impact Grant you were planning to pilot a full-time
Arts in Health program at Methodist Hospital Northeast. How did the
pilot program work out?
The pilot program has been so great! The staff at Methodist Northeast welcomed us with open arms and from day one has always been so supportive. This grant has given us the chance to work with so many patients and staff members and we’ve really made an impact being present in the hospital.
What’s new with Hearts Need Art that you would like to share with Impact
members?
We had a change in some of our locations recently which has allowed us to bring even more musicians, writers, and artists to the Methodist Northeast location! By having more artists and musicians working at Methodist Northeast each day, we’re able to reach more patients and make a bigger impact.
Tell us more about the music, arts, writing, and concert programs that
you provide for patients, caregivers, and staff?
We have musicians, visual artists, and creative writers who work one-on-one with patients each time they’re at the hospital. We also carve out specific time to engage staff, whether it’s a musician playing for one of the nurse’s stations or us preparing a quick arts and crafts project for them to work on in their downtime. We also partner with different musical groups around San Antonio to perform lobby concerts at our hospital locations. This is an amazing way to reach so many people at once and everyone always enjoys them.
How many people are involved in the Hearts Need Art programs? What roles
do they play in your mission?
We currently have ten contractors who provide music, art, and writing to our hospital locations. We have five staff members and a handful of volunteers who help when they can. Each person who works with Hearts Need Art brings something special to the table but the one thing we all have in common is wanting to create these moments of joy and self-expression with the people we get to work with.
How do you feel about Impact San Antonio and the work they do in the
community?
What an amazing group of women Impact SA is! I think I can speak for all of us at HNA when I say that we are incredibly grateful for the grant that has allowed us so much time at Methodist Northeast. The fact that Impact SA can provide funding for so many non-profits around San Antonio is simply amazing and I’m sure Impact SA is changing lives and providing incredible opportunities that otherwise might not exist.
