Volunteers Needed! Artists on the Wards Program

The Friends Arts in Healthcare Program is seeking volunteer visual, literary and musical artists for our Artists On The Wards Program. Working with adult acute-care patients at the University of Alberta Hospital, volunteers will engage adult patients in bedside creative activities to alleviate boredom, loneliness, and discomfort.

Volunteers must be:
· a minimum of 18 years of age
· be able to commit to a minimum of 6 consecutive months
· one 2-3 hour shift a week. Days, evenings and weekends are available – shifts allow for some flexibility.
· Waiting Room Musical artists must commit to a minimum of one shift per month.
· English language is essential
· communication and interpersonal skills – comfortable in approaching and interacting with people

Requirements:

Visual artists must have formal training and/or demonstrated experience in visual art in various mediums such as watercolour, acrylics, collage, clay, oil pastel.

Literary artists must have demonstrated experience or facilitating creative writing, poetry, and storytelling. Volunteers must be comfortable reading or storytelling in public or one-on-one.

Bedside Musical artists (individuals) must have a repertoire of a minimum of 10 to 15 songs playing an instrument that can be played quietly at the patient’s beside. e.g. guitar, piano, harp. Please, no brass instruments for bedside artists.

Waiting Room Musical artists (individual to quartet) must have a repertoire of a minimum of 10 to 15 songs to create a relaxing, ambient environment in designated waiting areas. Format will be performance-based and musicians will have access to a piano and/or portable keyboard.

All musical volunteers must be comfortable and confident playing in front of an audience or one-on-one, and must be able to read music or read a chord chart or improvise.

For More Information Contact:
Diana Young Kennedy, MSc Gallery and Collection Administrator, McMullen Gallery 780.407.7152 diana.youngkennedy@albertahealthservices.ca