Réalta, the National Body for Arts + Health in Ireland, has announced details of two new opportunities to join their team.  The roles of Communications Manager and Music Co-ordinator represent exciting opportunities to work in rewarding positions within a progressive organisation, making a difference to patients, family members and healthcare staff, and contributing to Réalta’s growth and development over the coming years.  Further information and application details are available from the following links: Communications Manager info Music Co-ordinator info The closing date for receipt of applications is Thursday 25 May 2023. Further details are available below and from 051 842664 or wha@hse.ie The new role of Communications Manager will see the successful candidate taking responsibility for communicating Réalta’s work to its target audiences to support its vision and mission.  A key member of the Réalta team, the Communications Manager will work closely with management and staff to design and deliver integrated communications for the organisation to optimise visibility, to consolidate the organisation’s reputation at the forefront of arts and health in Ireland and to increase awareness and understanding of arts and health practice and benefits.  The role requires excellent organisational and communication skills, strong writing, editing and digital marketing skills, communications management experience and a keen interest in the transformational potential of arts and health. The Music Co-ordinator is an essential member of the Waterford Healing Arts team and will have responsibility for the delivery of the Healing Sounds live music programme in healthcare and community contexts in Waterford, in addition to contributing to the future development of the music and health programme at Waterford Healing Arts.  The role...

A short film telling the story of Réalta, from its origins in Waterford Healing Arts in 1993 to the present day, was screened at our official launch on 3 March 2023.  Click here to view the film and scroll down to read the story. The Story of Réalta Dr Abdul Bulbulia first suggested the idea of introducing art into Waterford Regional Hospital in the early 1990s. At the time, the role of the arts in the hospital environment was a completely new concept in Ireland, but was already being explored in the UK. With the support of hospital management, Dr Bulbulia, along with Mary Baxter, set up a committee to oversee the commission of the first artwork in the hospital: Quintess-ometry, by Remco de Fouw. This was the first public art commission in an acute hospital in Ireland.  The committee went on to establish Waterford Healing Arts Trust in 1993. Over the following decades, Waterford Healing Arts Trust deepened its roots and expanded its reach, developing the hospital art collection into over 600 artworks today, and growing the participatory programme to include art making, music, creative writing and storytelling.  Through these programmes, with the support of many funders, the team of artists, musicians and staff seek to ‘make now better’: to lift people’s spirits, promote connection, and remind people that beauty still exists, even in difficult times. Meanwhile, from its dedicated Centre for Arts + Health on the campus of what is now University Hospital Waterford, Waterford Healing Arts Trust also began to expand its programme into the national sphere.  This took a significant step forward in 2011, when...

The establishment of Réalta, the National Body for Arts + Health in Ireland, puts Ireland at the forefront of the global arts and health movement, according to Christopher Bailey, Arts and Health Lead at the World Health Organisation.  Mr Bailey was speaking at the official launch by Waterford Healing Arts Trust of Réalta on Friday 3 March 2023 in Waterford.  Other speakers included Prof. Kevin Rafter, Chairperson of the Arts Council, Grace O’Sullivan, MEP and Patron of Waterford Healing Arts, Catherine Drea, Chairperson, Réalta and Claire Meaney, Director of Réalta. The launch was attended by a wide range of stakeholders involved and interested in arts and health in Ireland, including healthcare professionals, artists, participants, arts and health practitioners, funders and policy makers.  Chairperson of Réalta Catherine Drea welcomed guests and thanked all stakeholders, past and present, saying “It takes a village” to create an organisation such as Réalta.  Guests were then shown a video illustrating the development of Réalta, from the original establishment of Waterford Healing Arts Trust in 1993, to the beginning of the organisation’s national programme 15 years ago, the setting up of the resource website artsandhealth.ie in 2011 and the development and launch of Réalta in 2023.  Claire Meaney, Director of Réalta, then outlined Waterford Healing Arts Trust’s work with business planning consultant Ahmad Abu-el-ata in developing a business strategy for Réalta, and with branding agency Totem – based in Dungarvan, County Waterford – to develop the Réalta brand as well as the new logo for Waterford Healing Arts (re-branded from Waterford Healing Arts Trust). Officially launching Réalta, Mr Christopher Bailey, Arts and Health Lead with...