Artists announced for sculpture and murals at the National Rehabilitation Centre | Latest news

At a glance

• The National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) is delighted to announce the three British artists who have been selected to create the bespoke feature artwork for the new centre.
• North Shields duo Sum Place, comprising lead artist Colin Davies and creative producer Nic Quinn, have been commissioned to create the suspended sculptural piece
• Anthony Donnelly – aka Hood - from Urban Canvas has been commissioned to create murals

 

The National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), which will open to its first patients later this year, is delighted to announce the three British artists who have been selected to create the bespoke feature artwork for the new centre.

The NRC is a 70-bed, purpose-built rehabilitation centre for people who have experienced a life-changing illness or injury, and will be staffed and run by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.

North Shields duo Sum Place, comprising lead artist Colin Davies and creative producer Nic Quinn, have been commissioned to create the suspended sculptural piece for the double-height main atrium of the centre.

Meanwhile Anthony Donnelly – aka Hood - from Urban Canvas has been commissioned to create murals in the main dining room and quiet rooms throughout the building.

Nic Quinn of Sum Place explained that being commissioned for the suspended sculpture at the NRC is a landmark moment for them both.

She said: “Being selected to create a permanent artwork for the National Rehabilitation Centre, an institution at the forefront of recovery and innovation, is a huge honour. We feel proud, grateful, and energised.

“On a personal level, the themes of recovery and resilience are close to our hearts, and it’s a privilege to contribute something meaningful to a space where people will be rebuilding their lives.

“Professionally, it’s a chance to work at scale with a brilliant team and to continue pushing the boundaries of what public art can do in bringing beauty, reflection, and joy into essential spaces.”

Sum Place’s design is formed of 2000 oak leaves, made of colourful recycled plastic, and over 700 pewter acorns. It is based on the concept ‘from little acorns, mighty oaks grow’ and is  inspired by the surrounding Soar Valley landscape and the resilience it represents.

Sum Place Lead Artist, Colin Davies, said: “It’s a place shaped by natural cycles of renewal and growth, much like the rehabilitation journey.

“Our installation uses 750 strands, each symbolising a patient the centre will support each year.

“The recycled plastic oak leaves create shifting light and shadow that will change and evolve throughout the day, offering calm, inspiration, and a deep connection to nature.”

For the murals throughout the building, ‘Hood’ from Urban Canvas has created a design which integrates vibrant, nature-inspired leaf skeleton motifs, flowing across the wall with a rhythmic pattern reminiscent of Nottingham lace.

He said: “Being selected to create murals for the National Rehabilitation Centre was a great moment.

“After 25 years of creating murals in public spaces, this commission represents something especially significant. It’s a chance to contribute to an environment focused on care, recovery, and renewal, and a rare opportunity to use visual art in a way that supports people at a vulnerable point in their lives. I feel honoured to be a part of that process.

“When I received the news, I was genuinely moved as I have decided to focus my practice over the next 10 years to delivering projects that have a sense of soul and meaning about them. Knowing that my work will live in a space designed to support healing fulfils this goal of mine and adds a deeper layer of purpose to the art.”

Ryan McCormack, Head of Construction and Commercial at the NRC, explained that we received over 70 submissions from artists for the two commissions and so the selection process was especially tough.

He said: “We were overwhelmed by the response from the artistic community to our advert for the two commissions, and it was fantastic to see how each one had interpreted the brief differently.

“Both the winning submissions stood out to the whole selection panel and we’re excited to now be working with the artists to bring their designs to life so that they can benefit our patients from the moment they arrive at the NRC and throughout their stay with us.”

The NRC is a specialist NHS facility which is nearing completion on the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate near Loughborough, home to the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre which opened in 2018. 

In addition to providing excellent patient care, the NRC will also be a national hub for innovation, cutting-edge research and development, and training and education. Therefore, the NRC works with a national consortium of 24 universities across the country to ensure the NRC remains at the forefront of rehabilitation research and expertise.

Arts at NUH is the Trust’s creative health programme. Supported by the Nottingham Hospitals charity, the programme is designed to enhance the wellbeing of patients, staff, and visitors through meaningful creative engagement and the integration of professional artworks within the hospital environment.