Gifts of Art and Toys

Donations of Toys and Books

Donations of toys, books, crafts and other types of items to the Alberta Children’s Hospital are common, and these are referred to as ‘gifts-in-kind’.  Sometimes these donations are from a child wanting to share good fortune with another child; for example, a child may wish to give new, unopened birthday presents he or she received to the hospital.  Other times, a grateful former patient or a family member may wish to express gratitude for the care that was received, and want to ‘give back’ particularly during a holiday season such as Christmas.  This may take the form of individuals or families making a donation, or it may be a school, organization or business that collects items on a larger scale (e.g. toy drive).

In operating the gift-in-kind program, it is important to consider how best to serve the needs of the children and families of the hospital.  Aspects that need to be carefully looked at are whether these donations are truly safe, useful and appreciated.  Donations must not only be distributed equitably throughout the areas of the hospital in accordance with the needs of the individual clinic/program areas, but also in a way that honors the wishes of the donor as much as possible.

Please follow the following rules for Gift in Kind donations:

• Only NEW toys and books are accepted due to infection control here at the hospital.
• All toys and books must be free of corporate branding.
• Gently-used DVD movies and computer games/video game console equipment (e.g. Xbox 360) are occasionally accepted as per need, storage, etc.
• Depending on circumstances (e.g. pandemic concerns, as in the recent H1N1 outbreak), it may become necessary to decline all gently-used items in order to maintain infection control.

Donations of Artwork by Professional Artists

The Alberta Children’s Hospital is home to over 300 pieces of art. Located on all five floors of the hospital, this collection of generously donated artwork creates a warm and inviting environment for children, families and staff.

The Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation supports the Art Advisory Committee at the hospital. A jury of art specialists from the committee meets monthly to review original artwork donation submissions.

If you have a piece of art you would like to be considered for donation, please complete the Artwork Donation Form.

The following are general guidelines the jury of art specialists uses to review artwork presented to the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation for donation to and display in the Alberta Children’s Hospital:

• Each work will be chosen on its own merit.
• All artwork must be original. We are not looking for mass reproductions or popular cartoon images.
• Artwork must be sensitive to the distress families may be feeling at the hospital, as well as recognize cultural differences of those visiting the hospital.
• We are seeking the work of both professional artists and others, including children’s art, folk art and other forms of legitimate and original art.
• At this time we are not permitted to accept murals, due to concerns with infection control.

If you require a tax receipt for your donation, a professional, third party appraisal must be completed and submitted with your Artwork Donation Form.

Due to guidelines at our hospital, no plaques or labeling is permitted on the front of the artwork. Signage on the back of the art work is acceptable.

On behalf of the Alberta Children’s Hospital, we thank you in advance for your interest in our facility.

Donation of Artwork from School or Community Art Centres

We appreciate your interest and generosity in supporting the Alberta Children’s Hospital by displaying or donating children’s art work. Our mission is to foster a visually rich and healing environment through the use and creation of art for the benefit of children, families, staff and visitors. By connecting with the community we hope to reflect the spirit of excellence and care for children, which is the focus of our hospital.

The Alberta Children’s Hospital Art Advisory Committee is solely responsible for deciding where art will be placed within the hospital. Every effort is made to display art works which are supportive of the activities and energy of each zone of the hospital. Art work can be created either for within the hospital or for display in the outdoor gardens. Our desire is to display thematic groupings of art works to encourage dialogue and interaction. Please note that much of the art work is displayed in areas of the hospital which are not available for general public viewing.

Open communication between the school/community art centre and an Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation representative is required to help ensure the art work being created is appropriate for the hospital. We ask that this relationship be established long before any art projects are started.

It is recommended that an art professional be part of your school/art centre project. The Alberta Children’s Hospital Art Advisory Committee will be able to recommend an art professional if needed. This individual will act as a liaison along with your school representative and a member of our committee.

Due to guidelines at our hospital, no plaques or labeling is permitted on the front of the artwork. Signage on the back of the art work is acceptable. Ownership or authorship information should be included for identification and inventory purposes.

If you have an art project you would like to be considered for donation, please complete the School/Community Art Centre Artwork Donation Form.

On behalf of the Alberta Children’s Hospital, we thank you in advance for your interest in our facility. 

For information about donating arts & toys, please contact us at 403-955-8818 or at kids@achf.com