Art Helps Heal at the University of Maryland Medical Center

The C2X Healing Arts Team, led by Kerry Sobol, director of patient experience and Walter Braxton, Healing Arts team leader are so incredibly committed each year to bringing forth and celebrating the artistic talents of their UMMC employee community. Their positivity and understanding of the good that this showcase can do is evident to all. This year the showcase was displayed in-person at the University of Maryland Medical Center and included 154 incredible artwork entries!

We asked Coordinator Walter Braxton to share his thoughts on the show with us and here is what he had to say. “One thing that the pandemic has taught us is that no matter what outside forces we face, art does indeed heal both inner and outer wounds. We were again forced to change the way we proceed when organizing and conducting our 2021 exhibit and both staff and their families were ‘all in’ again this year. I’ve heard staff report that having the art live in our hospital for the few weeks it did aided and allowed them a space to come and relax. The art pieces that graced our hospital this year truly did heal, and we are so grateful to staff, their families and especially the National Art s Program for coming through again this year.”  

Walter was able to hang the artworks in the hospital this year from October 11th through November 17th and hosted a virtual awards reception via zoom to honor the participants and winners of their Ninth Annual UMMC National Arts Program Healing Arts Exhibit.