New Community Art Gallery opens with exhibition of art by Fife College students

Back to list 27/05/2025

A new community gallery has opened at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, with talented art students from Fife College’s visual arts course showcasing their work as part of the inaugural exhibition.

The new gallery is located in the link corridor between Costa Coffee and the outpatients reception and aims to improve the hospital environment for patients, staff and visitors. The development follows the successful establishment of a similar community gallery at Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline, which has hosted a series of exhibits since it opened in 2023.

The first exhibit at the gallery showcases the work of students from the 2023/24 cohort of Fife College’s visual arts course. Students were tasked with creating artwork that was inspirational and uplifting, and which promoted reminiscence and encourage conversation.

Sixteen fantastic images were submitted by the students which are now adorning the walls of the new community gallery, after which they will go on permanent display in hospitals across Fife. Ten of the images were selected by a panel made up of representatives from Fife College, NHS Fife and Fife Health Charity to be displayed as wall vinyls with one now located in each of NHS Fife’s hospitals across the Kingdom. The artwork selected for display focuses on themes such as local landmarks, landscapes and seascapes, pets and childhood, with all chosen for their calming and relaxing qualities.

To mark the opening of the new gallery, an informal launch event was held earlier this month. The event was attended by representatives of NHS Fife, Fife College, and Fife Health Charity, as well as the talented artists whose pieces were selected for display.

In addition to managing the donations received by wards and departments across healthcare services across Fife, Fife Health Charity is also responsible for managing the NHS Fife’s extensive art collection. The charity works closely with colleagues across NHS Fife to make best use of our collection for the benefit of patients, staff and visitors, helping to improve the hospital environment, provide a source of inspiration for those accessing, and indeed providing, care and treatment in Fife’s healthcare facilities.

Mark McGeachie, Director of Fife Health Charity, expressed his enthusiasm for the new gallery: "Following the success of our community gallery space at Queen Margaret Hospital, we have seen first-hand how the area has benefited patients and staff, and were keen to create a similar space at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.

“We are really pleased to have worked with Fife College for the first exhibit, which provides a wonderful example of how we can use our buildings and spaces to connect with the people and communities we serve and support. We are also particularly delighted to have been able to open the new gallery with such a vibrant display of local artistic talent."

Jim Metcalfe, Fife College Principal, added: “Our students were given a brief to create artwork that is both inspirational and uplifting, with a connection to Fife, and they have truly delivered.

“This project has not only provided a fantastic platform for our students to showcase their talent and creativity, but it also highlights the powerful role art can play in healthcare settings. We are incredibly proud of their contributions to the new Victoria Hospital Community Gallery.

“It is a pleasure to work in partnership with NHS Fife and Fife Health Charity, and we are grateful for the opportunity this project has given our students.”

Fife Health Charity, as the official charity of NHS Fife, funds projects and initiatives that go beyond direct NHS funding, including managing the NHS Fife Art Collection. This new gallery is an example of the charity's commitment to enhancing hospital environments for the well-being of patients and staff.

To learn more about the work of the Fife Health Charity and the projects it has helped support, visit: www.nhsfife.org/fifehealthcharity.

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Photo Captions:

Fife College students alongside their works in the new Community Gallery at the Victoria Hospital - [DOWNLOAD]
Representatives of Fife Health Charity, NHS Fife and Fife College alongside visual arts students in the new Community Gallery at the Victoria Hospital - [DOWNLOAD]
Artwork in the new Community Gallery - [DOWNLOAD]
Plaque and artwork in the new Community Gallery - [DOWNLOAD]

Notes to Editors

Fife Health Charity aims to improve the physical and mental health of the people of Fife, through funding and grants that support projects and initiatives which will benefit the patients, staff and communities supported by NHS Fife. The Charity also gratefully manages all donations received to NHS Fife wards and services and provides grants to benefit patients and staff. In 20224/25, the charity provided over £0.5M in grants.