We recently hosted a special event celebrating The Book of Belonging; a beautifully handmade pop-up book created over the past year as a reflection of the Hospital Arts programme. The book captures the spirit, colour, and energy of the summer parades within our hospital community, while also documenting the creative involvement of the many people who contribute to this work.
Held at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, the gathering brought together invited guests to share stories, ideas, and experiences, using the book as a starting point for meaningful conversation. It offered space for participants to reflect on the projects they had been part of, what creative involvement meant to them, and the importance of belonging to a supportive and inclusive creative community.
Through these shared reflections, the event highlighted how culture and creativity can bring people together, foster connection, and nurture a sense of belonging; especially during challenging times of change and cutbacks.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed so generously to these conversations.
The wonderful thing about snails is that they are at home anywhere. They move through a space, and yet never leave their ‘habitat’. They love to explore the outside, but always attached to their swirl of an inside, keeping them safe, protected. Another great quality of snails is their slowness, their soft and steady pace, and the way they mark each ‘step’ of their way with an iridescent trail – they trace a unique and glimmering pathway, announcing ‘we are here!’ So it was the perfect choice of creature to be the focus for a celebration of the community of patients, outpatients, hospital workers, gardeners, and artists at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. A community which is also a ‘home’, a ‘pathway’ through a personal landscape, and a ‘movement’ of constant steady care.
