Hospital seeks local artists to create ER mural

Collingwood General and Marine Hospital (CGMH) is focused on creating an enhanced therapeutic space for mental health patients arriving at CGMH’s emergency department (ED).
The hospital’s ED houses two safe rooms for patients experiencing a mental health crisis. In an effort to improve CGMH’s patient experience, the safe rooms will undergo a transformation to create a more calming, patient-friendly environment, which removes structural and internalized stigma for patients staying in these rooms.
“The needs of mental health patients are specific and may vary depending on diagnosis and reason for a visit to the emergency department safe rooms. Patients may arrive at the emergency department in a mental health crisis experiencing self-harming behaviour and/or suicide, aggressive and/or violent behaviour, and risk of elopement. It is important the physical and therapeutic environment of the safe rooms contributes to feelings of safety and self- regulation,” says Crystal Bell, manager of Mental Health Services, Spiritual Care and Hemodialysis.
CGMH is looking to secure two local artists from the South Georgian Bay region who have a strong skillset in painting scenery murals. The artists will be asked to paint calming murals in soft colours on epoxy paint in the safe rooms.
For more information on this project or to submit a portfolio, please contact Crystal Bell, manager of Mental Health Services, Spiritual Care and Hemodialysis at (705) 445-2550 ext. 7227 or bellc@cgmh.on.ca. Please submit a small portfolio of work (2-3 pieces) and an estimated cost for the work by Monday, October 18.
This project is supported by the Hospital Foundations Giving Circle, an inclusive group of like-minded women in support of the CGMH Foundation. Their focus is to fund innovative or exceptional needs that are above and beyond the Hospital’s capital budget. The Giving Circle is proud to provide funding for this important project, which will profoundly impact mental health patients at CGMH.