'New City Art Collection' Project:

Eek & Wild

During autumn 2025, Eek & Wild Contemporary Dance Company brought movement, imagination and joy to the children’s wards at Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH) through a vibrant series of performances inspired by the hospital’s art collection.

Working in collaboration with AfHMK and the MKUH Play Team, the dancers partnered with young patients, families and staff to transform sculptures including Camel, Equilibrium, Squatting, Holding, Looking and Looking Through Within into playful, co-created dances.

Using a specially developed “movement toolkit” of body parts, actions and textures, children guided the choreography — deciding how each sculpture might move, balance or come to life through dance.

Across October and November, more than 80 patients and 70 visitors and staff joined in workshops and ward-based performances. Memorable moments included a spontaneous group ceilidh in Equilibrium, siblings hugging during Squatting, Holding, Looking, and a child in A&E dancing joyfully through every piece.

“It’s the first time he’s smiled in ages.” 
— Staff member, Children’s Ward

The project coincided with 50 Years of Play in Hospital, celebrating the vital role of play in children’s health and recovery. Eek & Wild’s child-led approach encouraged creativity, curiosity and emotional wellbeing, transforming clinical spaces into places of imagination and connection.



Performances will continue across the children’s wards and paediatric areas into Spring 2026, offering more young patients the chance to take part.

This work forms part of The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s investment in reimagining MKUH’s New City Art Collection, supported by Milton Keynes City Council and Milton Keynes Hospital Charity.

Read the Press Release here:

https://artsforhealthmk.org.uk/Eek-and-Wild

Image: Eek & Wild Contemporary Dance Company at MKUH Children's ward..

Ongoing Programmes:

Art Clubs Update

Our Art Clubs are a supportive and sociable space for people to develop their creativity and meet new people.

On 27th September we celebrated a year of the Conniburrow ‘Creative Space’ Art Club and held an exhibition within the workshop space to celebrate! This weekly art club offers a welcoming environment for people of all ages and abilities to engage in a wide range of creative activities. The group is lead by two professional local artists, Robin Clements and Laura Dove. Themes are explored each week like identity, inclusion, diversity, and geography, while also helping reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. The Creative Space is free to attend. We welcome new participants every week, so simply drop in on a Saturday morning (a referral is not required).

We have recently expanded our reach into the West Bletchley area with our ‘Arts for Wellbeing’ Art Club held monthly at the Community Centre. This club is led by two artists, Sophia Ghory & Eva Popovic and a different technique is explored each session. In past sessions we have done copper embossing, paper flowers, mono-printing, decorative festive jumpers and working with textiles.

To attend you simply drop-in. We recommend a small contribution of around £3 to cover materials.

An Art Club participant explains the benefits of attending: "It’s two hours which are completely for myself. I find it very calming and relaxing."

Let’s not forget our volunteer-led Art Club held weekly on Mondays in Wolverton – where we have recently welcomed 5 new members! This is a group for adults costing £2 per session. Refreshments and materials are provided.

No booking required, simply drop-in. We look forward to welcoming you!

Our Art Clubs are supported by: Great Linford Parish Council, BLMK Integrated Care Board and the Wolverton Science and Arts Institute Fund.

Image: Exhibition attendees at the Conniburrow Art Club exhibition.

Ongoing Projects:

Creative Play - Music & Song

At the time of this publication, we will have delivered over 20 weeks worth of our Creative Play project. For those of you who are unaware, Creative Play is our free weekly music sessions for mothers who are experiencing post-natal mental health challenges and their babies. Over this time, we have engaged with 18 mothers and their babies, supporting and signposting mothers for their challenges and improving confidence and self-esteem.

Creative Play is delivered in Sunshine Family Centre in Furzton. The staff have been a great support. We are looking forward to continuing delivery into early next year. Dates will be published on our website.

Rather than it coming from us, we wanted to share some positive feedback we have received from the mothers. Both express the benefits they have experienced participating in the sessions. 

Mother 1: “I have been to many baby groups and just found I didn’t fit in. I realised I needed something for myself after being diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Since going to Creative Play, I have found myself again. It is a space that welcomes me for me, allows me to be open without judgement. I feel I have improved my self-esteem so much. Georgia and Rachel offer so much advice, warmth and comfort through all highs, lows and achievement.”

Mother 2: “This group is my safe space. I look forward to this every week because it’s a chance for me to just breathe and have a break from all the chaos of being a mum of two and a group myself. I absolutely love having the chance to sing with other mums, it’s so soothing and healing.”

Creative Play is funded by National Lottery Awards for All. Sessions take place on a Thursday 12:30pm-2:30pm. Opportunity to sing, chat and connect with other mothers. Safe and supported environment to explore feelings and experiences. 



Image: Mums with their babies during a session of Creative Play.

Online Project: 
Twenty for Twenty 

Twenty for Twenty is back after taking a summer break with several new articles! This is our web-based project designed to increase awareness of our charity and shine a spotlight on The Milton Keynes University Hospital Art Collection in celebration of our anniversary year.

We have asked twenty people from different walks of life to select an artwork from The Collection and to tell us about it’s personal significance, interest or appeal to them. In this way we aimed to capture and share a snapshot of the value and impact of The Collection to a range of different people – from hospital staff, patients and visitors to wider community members.

We now have all 20 contributors on our website, recently including; 


• Collections Volunteer at AfHMK, Ellie Rodwell-Bullock
• Administrator at AfHMK, Naomi Lutman
• Former Chair of MKUH, Alison Davis
• Director at AfHMK, Ben Heyworth
• Collections Development Officer at AfHMK, Jackie Sarafopoulos
• Chair of Trustees at AfHMK, Chris Kubiak

An enormous thank you to those who have chosen to take part in the project! It has been fabulous to reflect on the pieces of The Collection that caught their attention and read about people's experiences of seeing art in the hospital environment.

Perhaps our 20for20 social media posts have inspired you to tell us about your own memories or experiences of seeing art in MKUH? If so, then we’d love to hear from you. Please email us at info@artsforhealthmk.org with ‘20for20’ as the subject line. Your feedback would be most appreciated.

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Image: The Passage (2009) oil on canvas, Tomas Georgeson, from the MKUH Art Collection.

Programmes:

Headstart Art

In April to July we held a Headstart Art programme for 8 - 12 year old young people with health challenges in the local community, led by artist Sophia Ghory. A number of techniques were explored each session including paper weaving, clay models, body painting and character development. After the young people had developed their characters and thought of positive messages that could be displayed, we facilitated a street art painting session. We liaised with the local councils and developers to gain permission for the activity, which to our delight was granted merely days before the session went ahead! The children loved taking part and their street art characters are now on display along the Agora hoardings in Wolverton for the local community to enjoy. 

The group also had the opportunity to display their artwork in their own gallery space, 'The Creative Void'. Parents were invited and it was a special celebration in how far the young people had come on their creative journey.

At the start of the course some of the young people were highly anxious and withdrawn, not wishing to take part in the activity, however by the end they were fully engaged in each activity and with each other. It’s truly amazing how transformative and impactful arts in health can be.

With thanks to MK City Council and TOWN for their support of the street art activity.

The Headstart programme was kindly funded by the Big Lottery Community Fund.

Image: Young person EEEEdwin paints his design onto the Agora hoarding.

Community Events:

The Parks Trust 'Apple Day'

On a dry bright day in October AfHMK attended the annual event ‘Apple Day’. Organised by The Parks Trust this scrumptious event attracted families from across Milton Keynes

A celebration of both nature and community, this event was held at one of the oldest orchards in MK, Woughton on the Green Community Orchard. People learnt about the rich heritage of apples and orchards from local volunteers. Visitors explored the green space taking part in apple pressing, face painting and storytelling.

Also enjoyed were lots of apple-themed crafts and activities. Artist Cathy Ebbels inspired young people to create mandalas and prints using apples and other natural materials. Mandalas are a known tool of mindfulness and spirituality used by many religions and cultures. The workshop focused on mindfulness, wellbeing, and environmental responsibility.

The activity was very popular and highlighted the talents and strengths of people living in the parish. We aimed to empower the community to become more creative in and around where they live, promoting inclusive communities and recognising strength in diversity. This inclusive activity built community cohesion and collaboration, led by our experienced, professional artist.

We look forward to attending this event again next year!

Read more on our website and view the gallery of artwork created on the day.

With thanks to Old Woughton Parish Council for funding this event and The Parks Trust for hosting.

Funding Partners

With thanks to our core funding partners for their continued support of our projects and of our work in Milton Keynes University Hospital and in the wider community.

Donations

As a small charity we rely on charitable donations to support our work:

• £100 will support a Temporary Exhibition of art at MKUH
• £240 will provide art materials for four Art Club sessions

Donations can be made via our dedicated website Local Giving (click Donate button below) or scan the QR code.

Please forward this newsletter onto your friends and colleagues, and they can click the link below to sign up.

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