29 April 2025
Stimulus, an independent foundation created to develop and implement art in care spaces, initiated the transformation at OLVG Hospital in Amsterdam. It was born out of a collaboration between artist Itamar Gilboa, emergency physician and artist Obbe Tiddens (also a member of OLVG’s art committee), Mariska Zwartsenburg (emergency physician and head of research at OLVG), and Alessandra Laitempergher (curator). Together, they began exploring the question: what happens when we actively reimagine the hospital environment through artistic means? Their work laid the foundation for what would become the ongoing intervention and artistic transformation in OLVG's Emergency Department.
As the project grew, researchers from the University of Amsterdam joined the effort to examine the impact of these interventions. Through the Healthy Future grant, the ArtiC team— Noa Roei, Jeannette Pols, Maya Lane, Simone Stergioula, and Emily Read —were able to contribute research time and foster interdisciplinary collaboration. While Stimulus secured funding from organizations such as Stichting DOEN and the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds to realize the artistic interventions themselves, the ArtiC project focuses on understanding and contextualizing their impact within broader discussions on care, aesthetics, and well-being.
To understand the challenges and opportunities of transforming hospital spaces, we spoke with Mariska Zwartsenburg, emergency physician and head of research at OLVG; Jeannette Pols, Professor of Anthropology of Everyday Ethics at the Faculty of Behavioral & Social Sciences and the Department of Ethics, Law & Humanities at the Amsterdam Medical Center and University of Amsterdam; and Noa Roei, Associate Professor in Comparative Literature and Cultural Analysis at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Amsterdam.
In high-pressure environments like emergency departments, staff well-being should be a priority. “If you take a closer look, specifically at emergency departments, we have over 200 staff members working many hours throughout the day, evening, nights, and weekends. There are always people there. The main focus is always on taking care of the patient. That’s what we've been trained for, what we talk about all the time—how can we improve patient care?” says Mariska Zwartsenburg. Yet, this often comes at the expense of those providing care. “Of course, patient care is a key component of our work, but it’s just one part of it. We need the staff to be okay and able to do this work, day in, day out, week after week.”
Jeannette Pols adds, “We’re not thinking enough about staff well-being, but also about what makes them care for people in the first place. It’s a tough job—people come into the emergency room in pieces, and then Mariska and Obbe sew them back together. Staff members invest so much time and energy into care, and if we don’t think about care as a network of relationships, we overlook a crucial part of the picture. The medical model, as it stands, doesn’t serve us well in this regard.” She continues, “We emphasize patient-centered care, but we’ve forgotten that a patient is not just an autonomous individual with a body to be fixed. Patients are surrounded by people who care for them—both informally and formally. And we’ve also forgotten about the staff.”
The physical environment plays a crucial role in caring for those who care. “If you look at our hallways, they’re gray and white. The floors are unpleasant. The coffee room is not a relaxing space. If you need a short break—which, as you can imagine, is sometimes really necessary—there’s no easy place to find peace and quiet. At one point, I showed both of you where I sometimes pace just to have a moment for myself: the ambulance hallway,” says Zwartsenburg. This lack of both mental and physical space in the hospital inspired the broader Stimulus initiative, with the ArtiC team joining later to examine its significance. “WeI started working in the hospital space, thinking: what if we change this place a little bit? What if we play with this space? What will it do to the well-being of the staff and their experience as healthcare professionals?” reflects Noa Roei. Her reflection refers to the questions first raised by Itamar, Obbe, Mariska, and Alessandra—now central members of the joint Stimulus–ArtiC collaboration.
There is also a second issue to tackle: how can research be effectively conducted in a hospital setting? “The initial plan was to use questionnaires. But think about emergency staff—they’re running around like crazy, and then we ask them to fill out a survey? They might do it once, but it’s not interesting for them. In my research, I’ve looked at how to engage people in ways that are meaningful for them. The challenge is the same across different settings: lack of time and space. How can research fit into that reality?” says Pols. Next to that, there is the problem of terminology. “There are so many different terms: staff well-being, staff resilience, and other similar phrases. There's a lot of debate over what these terms mean, and the definitions shift over time. We’re still figuring out the right language to frame our findings and contribute to existing research,” adds Zwartsenburg.
The research methodology itself is unconventional. “Our approach is about conducting research in a caring manner. We don’t see ourselves as external observers; we’re part of the care ecology itself. That means we also recognize that not everything is measurable in the same way. Medical research often expects clear, quantifiable before-and-after results. But when it comes to art, that framework doesn’t always apply—it spills over, it doesn’t fit neatly into traditional measurements,” says Roei. Instead, the team is looking for a new language to capture experiences, emotions, and atmospheres—one that values durational events rather than just outcomes.
This research combined ethnographic methods with art-based approaches to explore the experiences of Emergency Ward staff. Through on-site ethnographic observation, the team examined the dynamics, tensions, and possibilities within the ward. Co-creative art workshops helped staff articulate what they find most meaningful in their work. Sensory mapping techniques, adapted from urban studies, invited staff to annotate blueprints of the ward and envision their ideal workspace. Additionally, flashcards were used to capture staff reactions to a portrait display project, highlighting themes of recognition and identity within the Emergency Department. “This kind of approach engages staff in a way that’s meaningful for them while also generating valuable insights,” explains Pols.
The project challenges assumptions about the role of art in healthcare. “Art is not just about an object on the wall. It’s about the process of creation, decision-making, and observation. That’s what really engages people. You could ask, ‘Why art? Why not just have a chat?’ But there’s something about experiencing art that allows people to step back from functionality—the day-to-day tasks—and reflect. It provides the opportunity to think, ‘What do we need? Who am I? What’s important?’” explains Roei.
“In the beginning, the staff wasn’t sure what we were trying to do. There were many questions and hesitations. People worried that this would just mean more paperwork. But as they saw the project unfold, their enthusiasm grew. It sparked discussions about our environment, making us realize that this space affects us all—not just individually, but collectively. We used to think, ‘This is just the culture; let’s not talk about it.’ But now, all of a sudden, it’s something we can talk about—and maybe even change,” says Zwartsenburg.
The ultimate goal of the project is to shift perspectives on what truly matters in healthcare settings. “By doing this research, we’re making a statement: art and research are not just add-ons to healthcare. They are not supplementary. It’s not about decorating a hospital ward after essential care is covered—it’s about redefining what matters in care. Integrating aesthetics as a fundamental part of life and well-being,” Roei concludes.
This research serves as an invitation for further dialogue across medical humanities, social sciences, and healthcare professionals—toward hospital environments that recognize the well-being of both patients and those who care for them. “The project became something for all of us, with two layers. One layer is about intervening in the space—art and care. The other is about reshaping research practices to make space for these conversations. And we’ve found that both of these things still need a lot of work, so we’re not done yet,” Roei concludes.