Art in hospital for every child.

This project is produced by Art Explora in collaboration with It is Now, to present digital art in hospitals across Europe and to support disabled children in hospital through playful, interactive and sensory experiences that are accessible to all.

Our mission

We work with digital artists to produce interactive and inclusive artworks which are installed in children’s hospitals across Europe.

These immersive digital art installations are beneficial for children with special educational needs (SEN) and physical disabilities, as they stimulate the senses and encourage creativity, curiosity and fun!

All our completed projects:

1. Institut Imagine de l'Hôpital Necker - Coming soon Clouds by Arnaud Laffond

2. Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant de Lyon - Reflections by Danny Rose

3. Sant Joan de Deu Hospital - Barcelona - Hors du Temps by Mouawad/Laurier

4 - Centre Robert Doisneau in Paris - Fondation Ove - Hors du Temps by Mouawad/Laurier

5. Village des Enfants Extra-ordinaires in Saint-Maur-des-Fosses - Reflections by Danny Rose

6 Pellegrin Hospital at Bordeaux University Hospital (CHU) - Work by students at Enjmin (Ecole National des Jeux Vidéos et des Médias Interactifs based in Angoulême) with Alexandre Perot, supervised by Antonin Fourneau.

7. Institut Saint-Pierre in Palavas les flots - Reflections by Danny Rose

8. CH Delafontaine de Saint-Denis - Enjmin student project

9. King's College Hospital, London - Creation of Sony Design studio "The Enchanted Forest

History of the project

• In 2020, the project began with the installation of Danny Rose's digital work Reflections in the atrium of the Imagine Institute at Necker Hospital in Paris, which treats over 30,000 children every year.

“Plasma Reflection” distorts the reflection of its visitors, diffusing their silhouettes onto plasma screens. The interactive digital installation plunges visitors into the heart of the artwork and enhances their sense of physical space.

Danny Rose's "Reflections" was installed in the lobby of the Femme Mère Enfant hospital in Lyon in 2023, where more than 80,000 children are treated every year, and at the Institut Saint-Pierre in Palavas les flots was installed in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, at the Village des Enfants Extraordinaires, a reception center dedicated to supporting multihandicapped children and their families in 2024.‍

• Mouawad/Laurier's "Hors du temps" was installed at the Centre Robert Doisneau in Paris. The center includes a medical-educational institute (IME) and a home for 300 residents and their families.

Subsequently, Mouawad/Laurier's digital work "Hors du temps" was also installed on the palliative care/chronic illness floor of Barcelona's Sant Joan de Deu hospital in 2023, which cares for 250,000 children every year. This is the first project to be installed in Spain.

‍

‍

Creation coordinated by Antonin Fourneau with students from the Angoulême-based Ecole National des Jeux Vidéos et des Médias Interactifs.

Project conceptualization and initiation: Andres Abad, Marc Cerutti, Simon Feugeas, Theophile Lauseig, Keltoum Marsli, Alexandre Perot, Gabriel Sauvage, Eve-Marie Tissier -

Artistic exploration and iteration on experience design. Alexandre Perot

Technical improvements: Tom d'Export, Johan Guerrero, Axelle Humbert-Labouyrie

• Sony Design's "The Enchanted Forest" was the first artwork to be installed in the UK at King's College Hospital in Denmark Hill, London. It is the first artwork to be designed with the site and target audience in mind.

‍

Set within a magical forest landscape the artwork is designed to provide a moment of escapism from the immediate hospital surroundings. Children are encouraged to explore the landscape by moving their hands and bodies in front of the screen. Movements are reflected on screen as a roaming light, which causes plants and flowers to grow across the forest floor. Changing pathways of light, and the setting-sun, create the sense of time passing, while the noise of birdsong and rustling leaves deepens the children’s immersion in the mythical world.

The screens are situated within paediatric wing, next door to the rehabilitation centre and accessible to both out-patients and in-patients.  

‍

"Sensory awareness is important for all children, but for those with special needs, stimulation can be particularly beneficial. We are delighted to have been able to work with partners to enable the installation of 'The Enchanted Forest' here at King's. We look forward to seeing our young patients interacting with and enjoying the artwork during their time with us." - Sarah Harris, Head of Nursing for Child Health

"The Enchanted Forest" at King's College Hospital is an Art Explora UK project in collaboration with It Is Now. The content was produced by Sony Design. The project was supported by Art Explora and the King's College Hospital Charity.‍

Our ambitions, your support

At the crossroads of art and technology, the programme conceived by It is Now and delivered by Art Explora provide a real contribution to children and families in hospital care.  

We want to continue to support this cause by installing  25 interactive artworks in hospitals across Europe by 2027. Your support is essential to help us offer a moment of joy and distraction to children with disabilities and their families.

How can you support us?  

You are a company:

By becoming a patron, you will be able to send a strong message to your employees and customers in line with your CSR approach. With your support, you will help sick and disabled children enjoy an artistic experience together, bringing a touch of creativity to the hospital.

‍

 You are a private individual:

Your donation is eligible for tax deduction and contributes to a cause of general interest, the inclusion of children with disabilities.

‍

Contact us:

• Art Explora: Mélanie Rodriguez – Head of Partnerships and Sponsorship - melanie.rodriguez@artexplora.org
• It is Now: Noémie Ganem - Founder of It Is Now - contact@itisnow.org

It is Now, created in February 2020, is a French association whose mission is to promote the inclusion of children with disabilities.