Healing Ceiling Tiles

We all know that hospitals can be intimidating places — combine a patient’s fears with a sterile environment devoid of the comforts of home, and the anxiety level can ramp up easily. Recent studies have shown that there is an effective way to ease stress, reduce the use of pain medication, lower blood pressure and heart rate, and even shorten a patient’s length of stay: through the healing power of art.

Recognizing that the very best patient care means treating more than just physical symptoms, Carilion Clinic and its Dr. Robert L.A. Keeley Healing Arts Program have partnered with the Taubman Museum of Art on Healing Ceiling Tiles: A Community Project, with the goal to place joyful, whimsical, hand-painted ceiling tiles throughout its patient treatment areas.

The Taubman mobilized its expertise and resources in art to provide instruction, prompts, and materials to community groups across Southwest Virginia. Hundreds of caring community members contributed their time and talents to create ceiling tiles that now serve as calming diversions at Carilion facilities. Since the program’s inception in 2019, our community has created more than 1,000 healing ceiling tiles (and counting)!