Stories That Connect Us
Artwork created by residents deserves to be displayed with the same care and respect given to work in a gallery or community exhibition. A thoughtful display recognises the resident as an artist, values their ideas and skills, and enables other people to enjoy and respond to their work.
Resident artwork should not be used simply to fill an empty wall or decorate an activity room. The way creative work is displayed sends a message about how it, and the person who made it, is valued.
Each person should therefore be involved in deciding whether their work is displayed, where it is placed, how it is described and how long it remains on view.
Start with the artist’s choice
Ask permission before displaying artwork
Always ask the resident before displaying their artwork. Taking part in an art activity does not automatically mean that the person has agreed to exhibit what they created.
Arts and creativity can offer people an opportunity to express themselves, communicate ideas and share something from their perspective or experience. This makes it particularly important that the artist has choice and control over who sees their work and how it is shared.
Show the resident the finished work and discuss the available choices. They may want it:
- Displayed in their bedroom
- Included in a shared exhibition
- Given to a relative or friend
- Stored in a portfolio
- Photographed before being taken home
- Kept private
- Recycled or discarded
Respect the resident’s decision even if staff believe the artwork is particularly good. A person may be proud of creating something but still not want other people to see it.
Agree what information can be shared
Consent should also cover whether the resident wants their name, photograph or personal story included alongside their work.
Permission to display artwork inside the home does not automatically include permission to share on social media, the care provider’s website or in publicity materials. Obtain separate consent for any external use, ensuring the individual understands where their work or information will appear, what this may involve and who may see it.
Support people to make their own decisions
If a resident has difficulty communicating, use their preferred communication methods and pay careful attention to their responses, expressions and preferences.
Where there are questions about the person’s capacity to make a particular decision, follow the home’s legal and organisational procedures. The aim should always be to support the person to be involved in decisions about their own creative work as fully as possible.
Curate the display together
Involve residents in how work is presented
Residents should have opportunities to decide how their work is presented. They can select pieces, choose a theme, arrange the order and help write or approve labels.
Involving artists in these decisions makes the exhibition a shared creative project rather than something organised entirely by staff. Curating can itself be a creative activity and gives residents further opportunities to express preferences, make decisions and shape how others experience their work.
Offer manageable choices where helpful. For example, place two possible mounts beside a painting and ask which the artist prefers. Use photographs or temporary mock-ups to show how different arrangements might look.
Residents could form a small exhibition group that meets to:
- Select work for shared areas
- Agree an exhibition title
- Choose frames or mounts
- Decide where work will be placed
- Write or approve descriptions
- Invite families and community members
- Review and change the display
Choose themes thoughtfully
Not every exhibition needs a theme. However, themes can help connect individual pieces without removing the identity of each artist.
Examples might include “Views from Our Windows”, “People and Places”, “Colour and Movement” or “Our Local Community”.
Avoid infantilising exhibition titles such as “Our Lovely Little Pictures”. The language used to describe an exhibition contributes to how the artists and their work are perceived. Use language chosen or approved by residents and of the kind adults would expect to encounter in a community arts venue.
Share with us how you get involved in the National Day of Arts in Care Homes by tagging us on social media, using #AICH2026 or sending your stories to ellie@napa-activities.org.uk
Give the artwork space and attention
Present the work to a good standard
The physical presentation of artwork communicates something about the value placed upon it. Small details can make a significant difference.
Straighten pictures, use clean mounts and choose frames that complement rather than overwhelm the work. Avoid attaching pictures to walls with visible adhesive tape unless this is part of the artist’s chosen presentation.
Try not to crowd dozens of pieces onto one notice board. Giving each artwork some space makes it easier for people to look at and respond to each piece individually. It also helps communicate that each work has been deliberately selected and valued.
If there is more work than available space, consider creating a changing exhibition programme rather than trying to show everything at once.
Make displays accessible
Consider who will be viewing the artwork and from where.
Place work where residents can see it comfortably while seated or standing and involve residents in testing the position before fixing it permanently. Reduce glare from windows and lights and use good contrast between the artwork, mount and wall where possible.
Labels should also be positioned where they can be read comfortably.
Keep displays safe
Good presentation should never create unnecessary risks.
Fix frames securely and keep displays away from doors, handrails, call points and mobility routes. Avoid broken glass, sharp edges, trailing materials or heavy objects that could fall.
If artwork is intended to be touched, make sure it is safe and robust enough for tactile interaction.
Protect the artwork
Think about how the work will be protected from direct sunlight, damp, heat, food, drink and cleaning products.
Fragile, temporary or 3D work may need particular consideration. With the artist’s permission, a digital photograph can provide a record of work that may naturally deteriorate or cannot be kept permanently.
Recognise the person as the artist
Name artists as individuals
Whenever possible, identify each artist individually. Avoid describing a whole display simply as “work by the residents”.
Creative work is made by individuals, each with their own ideas, decisions and ways of working. Naming the artist, in the way they choose, recognises their authorship rather than presenting residents as one anonymous group.
Ask each resident how they would like to be identified. They may choose:
- Their full name
- Their first name
- Their initials
- An artist name
- “Anonymous”
- No label at all
Avoid defining the artist by their care needs
Do not include a diagnosis, care need or personal history unless the resident has specifically agreed and it is genuinely relevant to the work.
Labels such as “painting by a person with dementia” can shift attention away from the artwork and define the artist primarily through a condition or diagnosis.
The starting point should be the same as it would be in any other exhibition. Who is the artist and what would they like people to know about their work?
Describe creative support accurately
Receiving support does not make someone less of an artist. Artists in many settings work with assistants, technicians, facilitators and other collaborators.
Where support was provided, describe it accurately why this is relevant and the artist is happy for it to be included. The description should make clear the resident’s creative choices and contribution without overstating independence or diminishing their authorship.
For example:
Mary Thompson Spring Garden, 2026 Watercolour on paper
Mary painted this view from the conservatory. She chose the title and the green mount.
If support was involved:
David Lewis, with colour mixing support from Anna Reed Evening Sky, 2026 Acrylic on canvas
David selected the colours and created the composition. He asked Anna to help mix the paint to achieve the shades he wanted.
Let artists speak about their own work
Write respectful descriptions
Keep descriptions brief, accurate and easy to read. Begin with information supplied by the artist wherever possible.
You might ask:
- What would you like to call this work?
- Is there a story behind it?
- What materials did you use?
- Is there anything you would like people to notice?
- Would you like to include your own words?
These conversations can help the artist shape how their work is introduced to other people rather than having its meaning interpreted for them.
Avoid interpreting or judging the work
Do not invent an emotional meaning. For example, staff should not describe a painting as “sad and lonely” unless the artist has said that this is what it represents.
Creative work does not always need to be explained and different viewers may respond to it differently.
Similarly, avoid judging the quality of the work in the label. Words such as “beautiful”, “excellent” or “lovely” can unintentionally sound patronising. Give people the opportunity to encounter the work and form their own responses.
Make labels easy to read
Use a clear sans serif typeface, strong colour contrast and print large enough to read comfortably. Place the label beside the artwork at a height accessible to seated viewers.
A useful artowrk label may contain:
- The artist’s chosen name
- Title of the artwork
- Date created
- Materials or medium
- A short description or artist’s comment
- Information about collaboration or support, where appropriate
- Permission or copyright information where needed
Example labels
Evelyn Carter Blue Bowl with Pears, 2026 Pastel on paper
“I chose these colours because they remind me of the kitchen I grew up in.”
—
Ahmed Khan Journey Home, 2026 Collage using maps, photographs and coloured paper
Ahmed created this work during a series of sessions about journeys. He selected and arranged every element of the collage.
—
Artist anonymous by request Red and Gold, 2026 Acrylic on board
The artist wanted the colours and shapes to speak for themselves.
Celebrate and share the work
Hold an exhibition or celebration
A resident art exhibition can bring artists, other residents, relatives, staff and community members together. It can create opportunities for conversation, connection and recognition, while giving creative work a life beyond the activity in which it was made.
Residents should decide how formal the event will be and who is invited.
An exhibition could include an opening afternoon, printed invitations, refreshments, an artist talk or a guided tour led by residents.
Participation should always be optional. Some artists may want to attend without speaking, while others may prefer their work to be displayed without being present.
Keep the focus on the artists
An exhibition should primarily celebrate the people who created the work. Avoid presenting it as a staff achievement.
Credit the artists prominently, while also acknowledging anyone who provided appropriate creative, technical or practical support.
Look after the work overtime
Review the display
A display should not become permanent simply because nobody considered what happens next.
Check resident artwork regularly for fading, damp, damage, loose fixings or missing labels. Speak to the artist before moving, removing, cleaning or repairing their work.
Agree how long each exhibition will remain in place and involve residents in reviewing it. A changing display can also create opportunities for more artists and new work to be represented.
Decide what happens afterwards
When an exhibition ends, return the work to the artist or follow their instructions about what should happen to it.
Do not throw artwork away simply because a display is changing. The work continues to belong to and have meaning for the person who created it, regardless of whether it remains on public display.
Keep a simple record
For shared displays, it can be helpful to keep a simple record of the artist, title, display location, consent, ownership and review date.
Review consent if circumstances change or if the work is going to be used for a different purpose.
Keep coming back to the artist
Displaying resident artwork well is about more than making a space look attractive. It communicates that creativity, choice, authorship and individual expression are valued within the home.
From deciding whether a piece is displayed to choosing its label, position and eventual destination, the artist should remain the centre of the process.
The central question should always be: “Is this how the artist wants their work to be seen?”
