The first in a year-long series of events celebrating Lime Arts turning 50, a special arts and health conference has been convened for Wednesday 22nd March 2023 at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust’s Postgraduate Centre on Oxford Road.

Lime, the arts team at MFT, began life as Hospital Arts in 1973 and is the oldest continually operating hospital-based arts team in the UK. Through three pioneering directors, Lime has been at the forefront of creative innovation in healthcare settings for half a century. The conference will explore Lime’s work past, present and future, as well as giving healthcare professionals the opportunity to experience a Lime workshop with one of our highly experienced and talented artists and to hear how Lime’s work sits within the Greater Manchester Creative Health Strategy. There will be music, an exhibition as well as discussion opportunities.

“Lime continues to ensure our patients and staff are at the heart of compassionate creative projects, drawing on the rich cultural legacy of arts in health in Manchester, and complimenting the delivery of excellent clinical care at MFT. During the Covid 19 pandemic Lime provided invaluable support to our staff through creative well-being projects and I am thrilled to see this work continue and expand, impacting thousands of staff and patients every year. Lime is indeed a jewel in the MFT crown” Kathy Cowell OBE DL – MFT Chairman

Chairman of the Trust, Kathy Cowell, will open proceedings in the morning, and after lunch we will hear from our special guest, former Children’s Laureate, writer and poet Michael Rosen who will give a keynote speech exploring how the arts can ‘care for the carers’.

Places at the conference are free, but limited, and therefore must be booked in advance. If you would like to attend, please email us at [email protected] to either book or go on the waiting list.

The conference will be live streamed on the day, so please do check back for details of how to join in online.

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