Beaufort Memorial Foundation Launches 'Heart of Healing' Program

Program will bring local art to Bluffton Community Hospital

The Beaufort Memorial Foundation has announced the launch of its new “Heart of Healing” program, an arts-in-healthcare initiative designed to bring the restorative power of Lowcountry artwork and local artists into the new Bluffton Community Hospital.

The program will showcase local artwork on Community Art Walls throughout the Bluffton hospital, reinforcing the connection between art, wellness and community-centered healthcare.

Blending Art and Healthcare to Support Healing

The goal of the Heart of Healing program is to create a welcoming, inclusive environment that enhances:

• Patient healing and comfort
• Staff well-being and morale
• A sense of connection to the Lowcountry community

“Beaufort Memorial is a community health system, and this hospital has ‘community’ in its name,” said Kim Yawn, Beaufort Memorial Foundation Chief Development Officer. “Through the power of art, we want to create a space that feels welcoming, meaningful and connected to the people we serve. We’re excited to partner with artists in our community to enhance how we deliver high-quality, patient-centered care.”

Collaboration With Local Arts Leadership

To guide the program’s curatorial vision, the Foundation is partnering with EMROSE Projects, a creative placemaking and arts consulting organization led by Maria Hooper, a Bluffton resident and member of the Town of Bluffton Public Art Committee.

EMROSE Projects will serve as a curatorial and advisory partner for the Foundation’s Healing Arts program, helping ensure artwork aligns with evidence-based design principles and the Beaufort Memorial mission.

Calling Lowcountry Artists!

The Foundation is now accepting submissions from local artists aged 18 and older.

Submission guidelines include:

• Artists may submit up to three existing works
• Theme: Community Well-Being
• Inspiration encouraged by nature and its restorative qualities, local history, human connection and nondenominational spiritual or meditative imagery

Eligible formats for artwork include two-dimensional artwork in any medium and photographs of three-dimensional works.

Selected pieces will be professionally scanned and reproduced locally by Beaufort Memorial.

Learn more about the program’s complete guidelines, including size specifications and licensing information.

The submission deadline is March 31, 2026.

A New Hospital on the Horizon

Currently under construction at the corner of Bluffton and Buckwalter Parkways, the Beaufort Memorial Bluffton Community Hospital is a 28-bed, three-story facility scheduled for completion by the end of 2026, with plans to open to patients in early 2027.

Artwork from the Heart of Healing program will be displayed throughout:

• Surgery corridors
• Waiting rooms
• Transitional spaces
• Staff breakrooms and employee areas

Why Art in Healthcare Matters

Research shows that incorporating art into healthcare environments can:

• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Support patient recovery
• Improve communication
• Strengthen human connection

Through Heart of Healing, participating artists will play a direct role in community wellness, helping to create a hospital environment rooted in comfort, reflection and belonging.

The Beaufort Memorial Foundation plans to expand this initiative to additional facilities across the health system, extending the benefits of arts in healthcare throughout the Lowcountry.

Learn more about the Beaufort Memorial Foundation’s initiatives and how you can support their healing mission.