Children's Hospital to brighten CK5 ward with local nature art

Local artists from Manitoba, northwestern Ontario, Nunavut and parts of Saskatchewan are invited to submit nature-themed digital artworks for CK5 at the Health Sciences Centre Children's Hospital as part of a $2.5‑million renovation campaign; selected works will be printed on hospital-grade vinyl and chosen artists will receive $3,000 each.

Local artists are being invited to create child-friendly, nature-themed artworks for the walls of CK5, the childhood cancer, blood disorders and transplants ward at the Health Sciences Centre Children's Hospital. The pilot art project is part of a broader $2.5‑million campaign by the Children's Hospital Foundation of Manitoba to renovate 15 patient rooms, treatment rooms, a family lounge, a nursing station and shared spaces. This is the ward's first significant infrastructure upgrade since the early 1980s. Submissions are being managed through community youth arts centre Graffiti Art Programming (GAP). Key details: - Artists from communities served by the hospital, including Manitoba, northwestern Ontario, Nunavut and parts of Saskatchewan, are invited to submit fully developed digitized nature-themed designs. - To date, 36 works have been received since the invitation was issued last week. - A selection committee made up of art professionals, hospital donors and staff, and families and children who previously received treatment on CK5 will select up to 20 works. - Selected artwork must be suitable for large-format vinyl printing and will be professionally printed on durable hospital-grade vinyl and applied to ward walls. - Chosen artists will be compensated $3,000 each. - The deadline to submit completed pieces is Friday, Feb. 2; successful artists will be contacted by Feb. 20. Summary: The project aims to bring nature scenes and a more playful atmosphere into rooms used by children, families and staff and to accompany a wider renovation of patient and shared spaces. The selection process will follow the Feb. 2 submission deadline, with selected artists notified by Feb. 20.