AN ARTIST GROUP is to create a mural honouring the Royal Sussex County Hospital from the start of its history to its work fighting Covid-19.
Artist Daniel Locke ran public workshops with staff and patients, past and present, and gathered objects and documents to collect stories to include in the artwork.
It will include key moments in the hospital’s 192-year history, including references to the Brighton Bombing in 1984, the Great Storm of 1987 and medical advancements such as the treatment for HIV, cancer and eye surgery.
Nimbus, a Brighton-based art collective, will work alongside Daniel to create the mural.
The project is part of Crucible – a venture which aims to bring the history and legacy of the Royal Sussex County Hospital to life.
A website including archival documents, photographs and oral histories has also been launched.
Jamie Wyld, Project Director, said, “We are thrilled to launch Crucible website, bringing together over four years of research, conversation and creative activity.
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“We rely on our hospitals now more than ever in the times we are currently living through and we hope that this project brings some of the stories of those working and visiting The Royal Sussex County Hospital to a wide audience.
“We are also really excited about installing the work in the hospital next year, for future staff, visitors and patients to enjoy and to reflect on the rich history of the hospital from years gone past.”
The project was commissioned for Brighton and Sussex University Hopsital NHS Trust (BSUH) as part of Connect, the 3Ts Hospital Redevelopment Public Art Programme and in partnership with arts and health consultants Willis Newson.
Anna Barnes, Associate Director of Governance, 3Ts Hospital Development Team said, “I am very excited to see the history of our hospital captured in a way that is both inclusive and carefully curated.
“The history of healthcare in Brighton, from its very beginnings as a sea-bathing resort in Brighton's Georgian hey-day, through two World Wars, the formation of the NHS and now the heroic efforts of our staff to treat patients with Covid-19 is absolutely fascinating.
“I feel proud to be part of a team who have made this history accessible to the patients, staff and visitors who will be using the new hospital; securing its contribution to Brighton's future.”
For more information, visit https://thecrucible.org.uk/
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