Wellness

A programme of free events for mental wellness

Overview

The implications of COVID-19 have had a huge impact on our local community and will continue to do so long into the future.  Fear about the disease, isolation caused by social distancing, economic pressures, and lack of ability to plan ahead have resulted in increased stress and anxiety across all areas of society. As we enter the new normal, the National Gallery has explored ways in which our museum can be responsive to community needs and present programming that supports country-wide wellness.

NGCI has had a long-term commitment to helping our community access the healing powers of art, with programmes ranging from our seniors tours (which provide opportunities for social interaction and address memory loss and dementia), to monthly ‘Art Haven’ sessions at HM Northward and HM Fairbanks prisons, and Caribbean Haven Rehabilitation Centre. We have also worked with other community groups on specific projects that have addressed mental health issues, PTSD, rehabilitation from illness, domestic violence, and child welfare through creative activities. Through these programmes we have witnessed first-hand the healing power that these creative outlets offer and we now wish to make these opportunities fully accessible to the wider community as we navigate the coming months.

Subsequently, we have launched NGCI Wellness, a multi-faceted programme that pairs our beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces and our National Art Collection with new wellness workshops to create a space for mindful contemplation and healing.

August Wellness Calendar

Mindful Mondays

In March 2021, NGCI began opening early on Monday for ‘quiet hour’. Join us from 9:00 am for a peaceful start to the week, in advance of general visitor traffic and school tours. NGCI offers simple one-page mindfulness sheets at the front desk, which include prompts and questions to help you engage mindfully with exhibitions while also encouraging presence. In addition, increased and flexible seating inside the Gallery from which to contemplate artwork for longer periods of time is now available.

Labyrinth Walks

Our Siebens Labyrinth, which is named after donor Dianne Siebens, is located inside the National Gallery Sculpture Garden. Based on the design found at Chartres Cathedral, France, it is a replica of an early Christian labyrinth pattern inspired by sacred geometry. As with earlier labyrinths, this pattern serves as a symbolic path that helps to calm and focus the mind. It follows a single, non-branching route that leads to the centre and out again. The Labyrinth is open to the public throughout the day and is designed to be experienced as a self-guided walk. More information about the Labyrinth and its history can be found at reception.

Nature Trail

NGCI’s beautiful gardens are open to the public to enjoy and are full of diverse native plants and sculptural works. Pick up a trail map at reception and enjoy a self-guided nature walk to learn more about native plants and their cultural and natural history. In addition, NGCI hosts guided tours on a monthly basis or on-demand. Visitors are also welcome to simply enjoy the gardens, read in the shade or bring a picnic lunch. Visit What’s On for more information.

Yoga, Meditation & Mindfulness Classes

The practice of yoga and meditation has become increasingly popular in today’s society, providing us with the tools we need to help navigate our busy lives and to promote presence. NGCI has joined up with some of the islands leading wellness instructors for weekly yoga and meditation classes, as well as special workshops that promote nutrition and mindfulness.

Meet our instructors

Virtual Yoga and Mediation Sessions

While our on-site yoga and meditation sessions are a central component of the programme, our virtual classes make the programme accessible to those who may be in quarantine or unable to physically attend. This content is designed to be evergreen and something that viewers can revisit at will.

Meditation Podcast
Mirabelle Dcunha Virtual Yoga
Coming Soon

(Photo courtesy of Janine Martins).

Seniors Wellness

Through the generous sponsorship of EY Cayman, NGCI has a long-running Seniors’ Tea & Tour programme that is designed to create opportunities for social interaction and the sharing of stories prompted by artwork from the National Art Collection. These are available to seniors groups at no cost, on-demand, and can be scheduled through our Education Department at education@nationalgallery.org.ky.

In response to lockdown and limited opportunities for on-site interactions we launched our seniors’ phone tree to keep conversations flowing, and more recently implemented our ‘From Us to You’ pen-pals initiative where students from NGCI afterschool clubs create art cards that are distributed to our senior community as part of wider efforts to tackle loneliness.