Tonic Arts
Enhancing environments and enriching experiences.
Tonic Arts is NHS Lothian Charity’s vibrant, award-winning arts in health programme, creatively enhancing the patient, staff and visitor experience at NHS Lothian.
Working in partnership with staff and patients, we deliver a diverse arts programme of events, workshops, exhibitions and site-specific art commissions that help improve staff and patient health and wellbeing across the NHS Lothian community.
Watch our video to find out more about how we use art and creativity to enhance health and wellbeing
Latest news
Music jams help to improve mental health and wellbeing…
Music jams bring the healing power of live music to the Royal Edinburgh hospital during Mental Health Awareness Week.
Healing Through Dance: Gentle Movement Classes Boost W…
In a heartwarming collaboration between Dance Base and NHS Lothian Charity: Tonic Arts, patients at East Lothian Community Hospital are […]
Encore! NHS Festival Sessions Return for 2025 Bringing…
Our 2025 NHS Festival Sessions will once again bring the magic of world-class musical performances directly to patients, families, staff, and volunteers across NHS Lothian hospitals.
Creatively Minded and Visual Arts Project at Royal Edi…
This prestigious Design in Mental Health Award recognises the significant contribution of art to enhancing the hospital environment and promoting wellbeing.
What’s on
Mindful Walks in West Edinburgh: An Art Exhibition by Julia Murden
Explore Julia Murden’s Mindful Walks in West Edinburgh exhibition at The Western General Hospital, featuring art inspired by mindful walking […]
Positive Health: Green Health and Tonic Arts Network Gathering 2025
Our 2025 Network Gathering is a platform for sharing knowledge, building partnerships, and advancing positive health initiatives using creativity and nature.
NHS Festival Sessions
We’re thrilled to be continuing our exciting partnership with Edinburgh International Festival, bringing world class artists to perform for patients and staff across NHS Lothian.
Tonic Arts Network: Using Art and Design to Transform Healthcare Spaces
Join us for our next online network event to discover more about our Havens participatory project, other staff wellbeing projects and how to develop them.
Spotlight on: Havens
NHS Lothian Charity’s programmes, Tonic Arts and Green Health, in partnership with Stills Gallery, are proud to present ‘Havens’ – a series of portraits and stories documenting NHS Lothian staff members’ work-life experiences.
Our Work
Tonic Commissions
Tonic Collection
Tonic Exhibitions
Tonic Participation
This Volunteers` Week we want to say a massive THANK YOU to all of the amazing volunteers across @nhs_lothian for all of your time and effort spent giving back and making a difference to others. Your continuous efforts do not go unnoticed and we really appreciate each and every one of you.
#VolunteersWeek2025 #Thankyou #Volunteering
This Volunteers` Week we want to say a massive THANK YOU to all of the amazing volunteers across @nhs_lothian for all of your time and effort spent giving back and making a difference to others. Your continuous efforts do not go unnoticed and we really appreciate each and every one of you.
#VolunteersWeek2025 #Thankyou #Volunteering
We`re incredibly proud that our Creatively Minded and Visual Arts project at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital was a finalist for the prestigious Design in Mental Health Award in the Low Cost, High Impact category! And a huge well done to winners @cygnet.group and highly commended @nhsforthvalley.
While we didn`t take home the top prize this time, being shortlisted among such innovative projects is a huge recognition of the positive impact art, design and creativity have on the hospital environment and the wellbeing of patients and staff.
Working with the hugely talented Natasha Russell, we have used the buildings as creative canvases to enhance outdoor areas around the hospital. Natasha worked with patients to create fantastic artwork linked to plants, nature, insects and birds and then brought them to life as two beautiful nature-inspired murals. This is more than just adding some colour to the hospital grounds, it’s about creating an environment that lifts spirits and aids in the journey to recovery.
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to this project - Your creativity and dedication made this possible!
Congratulations to all the winners and fellow shortlisted projects for their inspiring work in harnessing the transformative power of art and design to improve mental health! It`s fantastic to be part of this movement, witnessing first-hand the positive impact art and creativity have on health and wellbeing, and we`re incredibly excited for the future of arts in health.
@natashanumbernine @nhs_lothian #TonicArts #adoseofcreativity #DesignInMentalHealthAwards #DIMH #Winner #ArtsInHealth #MentalWellbeing #RoyalEdinburghHospital #CreativelyMinded #VisualArts #HealthcareDesign #HospitalCommunity
We`re incredibly proud that our Creatively Minded and Visual Arts project at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital was a finalist for the prestigious Design in Mental Health Award in the Low Cost, High Impact category! And a huge well done to winners @cygnet.group and highly commended @nhsforthvalley.
While we didn`t take home the top prize this time, being shortlisted among such innovative projects is a huge recognition of the positive impact art, design and creativity have on the hospital environment and the wellbeing of patients and staff.
Working with the hugely talented Natasha Russell, we have used the buildings as creative canvases to enhance outdoor areas around the hospital. Natasha worked with patients to create fantastic artwork linked to plants, nature, insects and birds and then brought them to life as two beautiful nature-inspired murals. This is more than just adding some colour to the hospital grounds, it’s about creating an environment that lifts spirits and aids in the journey to recovery.
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to this project - Your creativity and dedication made this possible!
Congratulations to all the winners and fellow shortlisted projects for their inspiring work in harnessing the transformative power of art and design to improve mental health! It`s fantastic to be part of this movement, witnessing first-hand the positive impact art and creativity have on health and wellbeing, and we`re incredibly excited for the future of arts in health.
@natashanumbernine @nhs_lothian #TonicArts #adoseofcreativity #DesignInMentalHealthAwards #DIMH #Winner #ArtsInHealth #MentalWellbeing #RoyalEdinburghHospital #CreativelyMinded #VisualArts #HealthcareDesign #HospitalCommunity
Come and join us at the Kiltwalk Edinburgh 2025! 💙
Join us and help raise money for NHS Lothian staff wellbeing, patient care, and research.
Choose your route — 4, 11, or 20 miles — and make a real difference.
👟 Follow the link in our bio and sign up today!
Come and join us at the Kiltwalk Edinburgh 2025! 💙
Join us and help raise money for NHS Lothian staff wellbeing, patient care, and research.
Choose your route — 4, 11, or 20 miles — and make a real difference.
👟 Follow the link in our bio and sign up today!
Exciting progress being made in the dedicated staff wellbeing space at St John`s! New furniture has arrived ready for you to enjoy, and hopefully encourage you to take some much-needed breaks.
Final touches still to be done with a spot of decorating and the installation of an artwork that has been commissioned specifically for the quiet room.
It has been such a pleasure to work with @smithgordondesign to create a space that has been designed to feel distinctly different from the rest of the hospital, offering a welcoming and relaxing area that encourages you to step away, and look after yourselves.
#TonicArts #adoseofwellbeing #StaffWellbeing #WellbeingSpace #StJohnsHospital
Exciting progress being made in the dedicated staff wellbeing space at St John`s! New furniture has arrived ready for you to enjoy, and hopefully encourage you to take some much-needed breaks.
Final touches still to be done with a spot of decorating and the installation of an artwork that has been commissioned specifically for the quiet room.
It has been such a pleasure to work with @smithgordondesign to create a space that has been designed to feel distinctly different from the rest of the hospital, offering a welcoming and relaxing area that encourages you to step away, and look after yourselves.
#TonicArts #adoseofwellbeing #StaffWellbeing #WellbeingSpace #StJohnsHospital
June is right around the corner, and you can still join us in walking 100 miles throughout June to support NHS Lothian patients and staff! 🌟 Whether you walk, jog, or stroll, every step you take makes a difference to people`s lives across Edinburgh and the Lothians. 💙
There`s still time to sign up and get ready to take the first step towards doing something amazing for others.
Follow the link in our bio to sign up.
#FundraisingChallenge #EveryStepCounts
June is right around the corner, and you can still join us in walking 100 miles throughout June to support NHS Lothian patients and staff! 🌟 Whether you walk, jog, or stroll, every step you take makes a difference to people`s lives across Edinburgh and the Lothians. 💙
There`s still time to sign up and get ready to take the first step towards doing something amazing for others.
Follow the link in our bio to sign up.
#FundraisingChallenge #EveryStepCounts
☀️🌳🐝 It`s been a busy month for our Nature Ranger, who`s been hard at work helping patients and staff at Astley Ainslie experience the outdoors. Patients have been enjoying sunny "Walk & Wheel" sessions, feeling refreshed, surprised by the site`s size, and even sharing their impressive knowledge about nature. These sessions provided opportunities to learn about insects, including bees, hoverflies, and wasps, as well as discovering favourite trees like the monkey puzzle. Staff have also enjoyed "Wildlife Wanders," appreciating nature and finding moments of relaxation. The "LEAP Branching Out" sessions with Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust have brought creativity with shadow art, clay exhibitions, and sound poems, much to the delight of patients.
A huge thank you to our incredible volunteers and John from ACCT for assembling the final benches, which staff are already loving for their lunchtime breaks!
#NatureRanger #AstleyAinslie #WalkAndWheel #WildlifeWanders #OutdoorSessions #LothianGreenHealth
☀️🌳🐝 It`s been a busy month for our Nature Ranger, who`s been hard at work helping patients and staff at Astley Ainslie experience the outdoors. Patients have been enjoying sunny "Walk & Wheel" sessions, feeling refreshed, surprised by the site`s size, and even sharing their impressive knowledge about nature. These sessions provided opportunities to learn about insects, including bees, hoverflies, and wasps, as well as discovering favourite trees like the monkey puzzle. Staff have also enjoyed "Wildlife Wanders," appreciating nature and finding moments of relaxation. The "LEAP Branching Out" sessions with Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust have brought creativity with shadow art, clay exhibitions, and sound poems, much to the delight of patients.
A huge thank you to our incredible volunteers and John from ACCT for assembling the final benches, which staff are already loving for their lunchtime breaks!
#NatureRanger #AstleyAinslie #WalkAndWheel #WildlifeWanders #OutdoorSessions #LothianGreenHealth
Turn your love for art into action that makes a real difference! 🎨 Become an Art Collection Volunteer with our #TonicArts programme and help enrich hospital environments.
You`ll contribute to the care of our collection and help patients, staff and visitors engage in art in hospital environments.
Find out more and apply by visiting: www.nhslothian.scot/getinvolved/volunteering/volunteering-opportunities/
#VolunteerWithUs #ArtInHealth #VolunteerOpportunities #HospitalArtCollection
Turn your love for art into action that makes a real difference! 🎨 Become an Art Collection Volunteer with our #TonicArts programme and help enrich hospital environments.
You`ll contribute to the care of our collection and help patients, staff and visitors engage in art in hospital environments.
Find out more and apply by visiting: www.nhslothian.scot/getinvolved/volunteering/volunteering-opportunities/
#VolunteerWithUs #ArtInHealth #VolunteerOpportunities #HospitalArtCollection
We’re delighted to be involved in developing a national exhibition, touring hospital galleries across Scotland and celebrating the role Royal Scottish Academy associated artists and their artworks play in supporting the health of our hospital communities. We’re excited to be collaborating with other Scottish NHS arts programmes for the first time as part of the #RSA’s 200th celebration next year. #RSA200
We’re delighted to be involved in developing a national exhibition, touring hospital galleries across Scotland and celebrating the role Royal Scottish Academy associated artists and their artworks play in supporting the health of our hospital communities. We’re excited to be collaborating with other Scottish NHS arts programmes for the first time as part of the #RSA’s 200th celebration next year. #RSA200