Banff Mineral Springs Hospital is turning its walls into an art gallery in a move to create a long-term source of revenue for its year-old music therapy program.
Leslie de Bie, co-ordinator of volunteer services and foundation support, said Tuesday (Nov. 12) that music therapy is doing great things for the residents of the hospital’s extended care facility.
Canmore music therapist Corina Strim is at the extended care facility three times a week, de Bie said, working with residents as a group and individually.
“Some of these people have been completely non-verbal for the past few years, but with music therapy they are starting to sing along to the songs and communicate with people they’re sitting with, whether they are clapping or making eye acknowledgement,” said de Bie.
“They are coming out of their shells. They’re coming out of this place in their life where they are very reclusive (by being) part of this social atmosphere that’s doing incredible things for them.”
The program began last year with a grant from the Banff Community Foundation, but now that it is up and running, the hospital needs to find a source of ongoing funding.
To achieve that, the hospital decided to initiate an arts program that mirrors Canmore Hospital’s Art From the Heart.
The Banff Mineral Springs will hang new artwork – produced by local artists – on the walls every three months. Proceeds will be shared between the artists and the hospital.
The first rotation goes on display Wednesday (Nov. 20) with a wine and cheese reception from 5-7:30 p.m. Some of the 20 artists featured in the Art for Life Project will be in attendance.
Among the 20 artists in the first group, each of whom submitted about three pieces, are photographers Karen McDiarmid, Callum Snape and Paul Zizka and painters Lynne Huras, Susan Elkins and Karen Minish.
Along with benefitting the extended care residents and the music therapy program, de Bie said having new artwork on the walls on a regular basis will bring a larger benefit to the community at large.
“There’s so many patients that come and go in and out of the hospital and we’ve all seen that same old art that’s been there for years, so to have the walls become more of a gallery to show off all of the beautiful talent in the valley will be great,” de Bie said.
But the real benefit comes in assisting the extended-care residents, many of whom are long-term locals.
“These are people who have grown up here. They might have Alzeimer’s or dementia, but these people are an important part of the community. It gives them something like music therapy brings back a bit of their life.”
