The healing power of the arts continues to make a difference at St Vincent’s Hospital thanks to the generosity of A/Prof Ross Steele AM – a long-term supporter of St Vincent’s Curran Foundation and champion of the Arts Trolley project, part of the hospital’s Arts Health program.
The Arts Trolley program is available at patients’ bedsides and in communal areas across the wards, offering creative activities that provide comfort, meaningful engagement, and a welcome distraction, particularly during long hospital stays. It also serves as a wellbeing resource for staff, supporting mental health and team connection through shared creative experiences.
Last year, during a hospital stay, Ross had the opportunity to experience the program firsthand where he met St Vincent’s Arts Health Facilitator, Annette Innis. Together, they spent time together creating artworks, such as drawing and weaving. Through this experience, Ross saw how the Arts Trolley project supports emotional wellbeing and connection for patients at St Vincent’s.
Annette also supports staff wellbeing through creative workshops, providing a space for relaxation, connection, and self-expression; and plays a key role in the St Vincent’s annual Mardi Gras costumes and float design.
The Arts Trolley is part of St Vincent’s broader Arts Health Program, which was established thanks to a generous bequest from the Estate of the late Neville Holmes Grace and is a valued part of the hospital’s holistic approach to care.
In 2024, the Arts Health Program won the St Vincent’s Hospital Staff Excellence Patient Experience Award.
We are incredibly grateful to Ross for his continued support of St Vincent’s Hospital and the Arts Health Program, which continues to play a vital role in the care, wellbeing, and healing of patients and visitors at St Vincent’s now and into the future.