This book, commissioned by the Gulbenkian Foundation, tells the story of an artist-in-residence project started in Manchester’s St Mary’s Hospital in 1973, directed by Peter Senior. Book author Peter Coles describes the successes of the project, as well as the moral and other issues raised throughout its duration, to demonstrate the valuable contribution the project made to current discussions at the time of the community arts movement and the underlying philosophy concerning the role of arts and artists in society.

The book’s main purposes are to disseminate information about successful practice, to show that the project’s success is thanks to hard work, patience, collaboration and adaptability to overcome difficulties, and to advocate for greater support of artists by local and national, public and private organisations and the individuals that their work touches.

Coles, P. (1981). Manchester Hospital's Arts Project. UK: Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.