Sauk Prairie Memorial Hospital

Sauk Prairie Healthcare has been providing care for more than 40,000 people in central Wisconsin
since 1956; a service area, which extends from Poynette to Lone Rock and from Plain to Black Earth. They have been named in the nation’s 100 top hospitals but had been working out of their existing facility until this year.  H. Marion was selected from 4 shortlisted art consultants for our ability to bring the client’s vision to life by means of a well thought out Evidence Based healing art program for their brand new, state of the art 36 bed acute care hospital.

Sauk City is unique with respect to their extremely high density of talented professional artists, on par with areas known to excel in the arts such as Santé Fe, NM. Working closely with the art committee comprised of hospital executives, local artists and members of the community we were encouraged to feature local artists’ works while interfacing with a local gallery to make our selections. Utilizing local artists is the cornerstone of every project. Since an artist will basically paint what they know; utilizing local works helps to create an art program, and a facility that is more approachable to the community and staff.
One major challenge was to balance the interests of this very sophisticated “artsy” executive art committee with the anticipated demands of their rural patients who presumably would be viewing the facility from their own, perhaps less “artsy” perspective. We were careful that our art program acted less as an art museum, rather complementing the prairie style architecture; creating a warm and inviting community space.

“SPH was very happy with the outcomes of our Artwork Project with H. Marion.  Patients and staff alike provided high praise for diversity of styles while still maintaining a cohesive overall program.  The H. Marion folks were timely and helpful with developing the package based on feedback from a local committee that had SPH leadership, local business people and local artists.

“Although they provided other incremental selection options if we were interested in enhancing the package with additional pieces, when we instructed them that we still preferred staying within the original budget, they readily and effectively did so.

“It was a very effective relationship.”