‘An anchor in a stormy sea’: An arts in health project for healthcare staff during COVID-19

Abstract

This case study provides an overview of ‘Sidestep’, an arts in health project for staff at a specialist child sexual abuse unit in an Irish paediatric hospital, undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus of the project was to provide a ‘virtual creative space’ to support staff across this period of professional and personal challenge. The project was evaluated using pencil and paper questionnaires, and participant feedback is included here, to illuminate the value of an art-based approach to supporting staff well-being at times of crisis and change. Staff described participation in the project as a unique experience which allowed for connection and a sense of ballast during remote working conditions, as well as providing opportunities for meaning-making and reflection. The article is accompanied by images from the project to illustrate the ways in which participants used the image-making process to explore experiences of the pandemic.