Flow State Sessions
William Morris Gallery
Vital Arts is delighted to be collaborating with William Morris Gallery to bring a series of monthly creative workshops to patients at Whipps Cross Hospital.
Running from July 2025 to March 2026, the workshops build on the Gallery’s acclaimed Flow State Sessions - a social prescribing programme designed to support wellbeing through gentle, creative engagement.
Now, for the first time, Flow State Sessions are being delivered within a hospital setting, offering inpatients at Whipps Cross the chance to explore creativity, play and connection during their recovery.
About the Workshops
Led by experienced facilitators and trained art therapists, each session invites patients to take part in hands-on, sensory activities. No artistic experience is required — just curiosity and a willingness to explore.
Workshops begin with a grounding or breathing exercise to help patients settle, followed by creative activities that are designed to be drop-in, flexible and accessible.
First session theme: nature brushes
Create brushes using natural materials
Experiment with inks, acrylics, and textured papers
Play with colour, shape and movement
Use brightly coloured clay to reconnect with the senses
These workshops are designed to be calming, low-pressure and gently stimulating, offering space for reflection, conversation, and self-expression.
A Pathway Beyond Hospital
As part of the project’s long-term vision, patients who enjoy the sessions in hospital are also encouraged to attend Flow State Sessions at the William Morris Gallery once they return home. This continuity helps to build confidence, community connection, and ongoing engagement with creativity.
Find out more about these sessions via this link: Flow State Sessions - William Morris Gallery
Supporting Participation
We are working closely with clinical teams to support patient access. If you are a member of staff and would like to help a patient attend, or would like more information about the sessions, please get in touch with Jo Knox at jo.knox@nhs.net
Who are William Morris Gallery?
The William Morris Gallery is the only public museum dedicated to the life and legacy of William Morris — designer, writer, socialist, and pioneer of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Located in Morris’s former family home in Walthamstow, the gallery celebrates his enduring influence through exhibitions, collections, and a dynamic public programme rooted in creativity, craft, and social engagement.
Partner
