Réalta, the national resource organisation dedicated to developing arts + health in Ireland, is delighted to announce that visual artist Sinéad Reilly is its new Artist in Residence. Sinead will be based at the Réalta Centre for Arts + Health at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) for the duration of the residency, which will run from November to December 2026. The Réalta Arts + Health Research + Development Residency is funded by the Arts Council, and provides the artist with the opportunity to research and develop their arts + health practice during an intensive period of exploration and development, working creatively in collaboration with the hospital community.
Sinéad Reilly lives and works in Galway, where her visual arts practice involves working with people in hospital and community settings. During her residency in Waterford with Réalta, Sinéad will research ways of encouraging participation in the arts. She will explore how accessible, low-pressure encounters with art might create opportunities for connection, particularly for people who may not feel confident participating in arts activities. Through this research, Sinéad hopes to deepen her understanding of how to make arts experiences in healthcare and community settings more welcoming and inclusive.
Speaking about her residency, Sinéad said: “My work in Galway involves facilitating creative workshops and art sessions at the bedside with people recovering from cardiac and stroke-related illness. This is part of a programme called Mending HeArts. Through this work in the acute hospital setting, I have become increasingly interested in what enables people to enter into an arts experience. I’ve witnessed patients who initially felt that art is “not for them” become engaged through making, conversation, observation and simple creative invitations. These experiences have informed my interest in developing a deeper understanding of how people can be supported to participate in creative activities, regardless of their previous experience or confidence in engaging with art.”
Welcoming Sinéad to Réalta, Claire Meaney, Director said “We’re thrilled to have Sinéad with us for the next month or so. She is such a warm, dynamic person, we’re looking forward to seeing what methods she’s going to use to encourage participation, foster connection and promote engagement in creative opportunities throughout our hospital community at UHW.”
About Réalta
Réalta is Ireland’s national resource organisation for arts + health. Through its national programme, Réalta delivers training; provides information, mentoring and advice; supports networking; engages with the HSE and other policy makers to increase understanding and support for arts + health; and manages the national information hub artsandhealth.ie.
Locally, Réalta delivers the Waterford Healing Arts programmes, bringing music, visual art, creative writing and storytelling to patients at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) and other healthcare settings.
For further information:
Réalta’s national work: www.realta.ie
Waterford Healing Arts programmes: www.waterfordhealingarts.com
All about Arts + Health: www.artsandhealth.ie
Image caption: Artist Sinéad Reilly at Merlin Park Hospital, Galway. Photo credit: Tom Flanagan
