Thackray Museum of Medicine: Immersive new exhibition in Leeds showcases work of NHS staff at Christmas
An immersive new exhibition in Leeds is shining a light on the magical work of NHS staff over Christmas, with stunning artworks bringing extraordinary tales to life.
The Thackray Museum of Medicine in Harehills has been completely reimagined by renowned local artist Andy Singleton with his vibrant paper sculptures.
They tell the heart-warmingly festive stories of five real-life hospital workers, taking visitors on an exciting trail through the building with pop-up performances along the way.
Running until January 5, ‘The Night Before NHS Christmas’ is a visual feast that intertwines art, poetry and storytelling - and can be enjoyed by adults and children alike.
With Andy’s background in children’s book illustration, he designed paper sculptures to resemble open books, each featuring a verse of poetry written by museum learning officer Jessica Smith.
Recalling his approach to the project, Andy said: “The team at the Thackray came to one of my exhibitions and were interested in working with me on something new.
“They sent me over a brief, with the idea to explore stories in the NHS over Christmas. Hospital workers continue to work over Christmas and face all the same challenges, so we wanted to see how we could capture moments of magic.”
Jessica added: “We asked NHS doctors and nurses to relay memorable moments, sad moments, or moments that lifted them - and we used those experiences for the stories.
“Some are really poignant and heartbreaking, other are really relatable. There’s a lot about missing family over Christmas. But there are some really funny ones too.”
Creating the pieces was no small feat, as Andy explained: “There’s a large-scale installation in the entrance to the museum that I approached first. It has huge stars hanging from the ceiling.
“For the storybooks, I knew they were going to be on open display in the museum, so they had to be durable. I’ve never done anything on this scale before. The whole process took around three months.”
The stories in the exhibition highlight the creativity and compassion of NHS staff, even in challenging circumstances. Andy found inspiration in one particularly touching story from a maternity ward.
He said: “A nurse told us how staff still take time to enjoy a spread of food, even though babies are constantly being born. Many of the stories I’ve illustrated are about people finding moments of magic within daily routines.”
Other stories depict small but impactful acts of kindness, like a nurse handing out gifts to children arriving at the emergency ward on Christmas Day.
Andy added: “I was blown away by the level of care that such a busy person would have.”
At the heart of the exhibition is Jessica’s evocative poem, based on the interviews with NHS workers. The rhyming verses bring an additional layer of emotion to the display.
Adding another dimension is a series of hour-long pop-up performances from Leeds-based theatre company Wrongsemble, which take place every weekend.
They dramatise the stories that are included, as Andy singled out one particularly memorable vignette about a race between St James’ Hospital and Leeds General Infirmary to deliver the first Christmas baby.
Jessica added: “All of the NHS staff that work over Christmas go the extra mile to show care, love and support at this time of year. We hope people come away with a renewed appreciation of the NHS and just how lucky we are as a country to have it.”
‘The Night Before NHS Christmas’ will run until January 5 at the Thackray Museum of Medicine. Find out more and plan your visit at https://thackraymuseum.co.uk/