This Art Makes Me Feel... 2026
This Art Makes Me Feel…
For more than 40 years, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) and the University Hospital Foundation have worked together to bring exceptional Alberta art into the University of Alberta Hospital. This Art Makes Me Feel… celebrates that enduring partnership while inviting visitors to reflect on the powerful ways art can shape our emotions, perspectives, and well-being.
Featuring works from the Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, this interactive exhibition encourages patients, staff, and visitors to explore their personal responses to art. Have you ever felt comforted by a painting, inspired by an image, or found a sense of calm, hope, or connection through an artwork? This exhibition is an opportunity to consider those moments and share them with others.
Inspired by the ideas explored in Art as Therapy by Alain de Botton and John Armstrong, This Art Makes Me Feel… examines the many ways art can enrich our lives. Visitors are invited to record their thoughts and feelings on Post-it notes and place them beside the artworks, creating an evolving conversation about the impact of art in healthcare settings.
The exhibition is also part of the University Hospital Foundation's ongoing efforts to better understand the role of art in supporting health and well-being. In collaboration with the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, artworks were selected to reflect researcher Judy Rollins' seven categories of hospital art: humorous, calming, hopeful, historical, cultural, messaging, and interactive. Together, these categories provide a framework for exploring how art can foster positive experiences for patients, families, staff, and visitors.
Take time to look closely, consider what resonates with you, and speak with our Gallery Guides to learn more about the artists and the stories behind each artwork. You may discover that understanding more about a piece changes the way it makes you feel.
Featured Artists
Kirsten Abrahamson, Daniel Bagan, Noni Boyle, Bruno Canadien, Rad Culjat, Patrick Douglass Cox, Kirsty Templeton Davidge, John Fukushima, Rocio Graham, Vera Greenwood, John Hall, Aaron Harvey, Robert Lemay, Michael Magnussen, Yvonne Mullock, Jocelyn Reid, Simone Elizabeth Saunders, Esther Suzanne Scott, Heather Shillinglaw, and James Ulrich.
Exhibition Dates: October 29 - December 24, 2026
We hope you discover artworks that speak to you and that you share with us how This Art Makes You Feel….