ART OF HEALING: NEW MURAL TO TRANSFORM HOSPITAL WALLS
MEDIA RELEASE - 15 DECEMBER 2025
Picture: L-R: Paul Dayman (KSMH), Catherine Barker (Kingston/ Robe HAC Chair), Taylr Jay (Artist) with Kingston community member Brett McLaren
The Kingston District Council in collaboration with the Kingston/ Robe Health Advisory Council (HAC) is proud to announce a new community driven mural project that will transform the Kingston Soldiers Memorial Hospital walls with colour and creativity and bring to life the ‘Brushstrokes for Better’ mural project.
This project entitled ‘Brushstrokes for Better’ is grant funded through the Australian Government Regional Arts Fund and Country Arts SA, and is designed to transform the facade of the hospital through creative expression of large scale mural art for the benefit and joy of all community including patients, onsite residents, visitors and staff, and will complement the current public artworks featured throughout the township of Kingston.
Regional artist Taylr Jay will deliver this exciting project with the theme of native flora and fauna, that includes plants that have medicinal healing properties and are local to our coastal area. The concepts for the murals have been shaped through an engagement process involving the HAC, Council and community, with the two murals designed by Taylr Jay to complement each other, with one located on the nurses’ quarters wall & the other at the entry way to the hospital.
Catherine Barker, Chair of the Kingston/ Robe HAC said “We at the Kingston Soldiers Memorial Hospital feel honoured to be a beneficiary and the host organisation in this wonderful art project ‘Brushstrokes for Better Mural Project’. These pieces of Artwork will improve the environment and experience of the community members who utilise our services immensely. We look forward in partnering alongside the Kingston District Council to deliver this wonderful art project for the Kingston/Robe community, seeing the growth, outcomes and enjoying the journey and strengthened community engagement of the Kingston Soldiers Memorial Hospital. We are so excited and have full support of the Limestone Coast Local Health Network, and the CEO Emma Polland has expressed her support and think’s it is a great initiative.”
Artist Taylr Jay said “I’m really looking forward to bringing these murals to life with the community. It’s been a pleasure collaborating with the Kingston/ Robe HAC, Kingston District Council, residents and broader community to shape the designs, drawing inspiration from local wildlife alongside native and medicinal plants. My hope is that the finished murals feel calming, uplifting and uniquely Kingston.”
Kingston District Council Mayor Jeff Pope said “This mural project is much more than artwork, it’s a symbol of connection, wellbeing, joy, culture and community pride. We’re thrilled to work alongside the Kingston/ Robe HAC to bring this project to life, and we look forward to seeing Taylr deliver these creative outcomes for the community of Kingston”.
This project will provide an opportunity for a local emerging artist from Kingston to be a paid mentee, with Taylr Jay sharing her knowledge and guidance over a two-day period to help elevate their skills and awareness of large-scale art projects. An EOI for application took place in November with 4 local artists nominating for the position. Local artist Sage Jupe was chosen by Taylr Jay as the mentee for this project.
There is a broader participation opportunity for members of community to be ‘hands on’ and pick up the brushes in the free community painting sessions, which will be held on 3 February 2026. There are 4 by 1 hourly sessions with 8 participants in each session, that will be advertised for registration in the coming weeks.
The ‘Brushstrokes for Better’ project aligns with the Council’s Public 2020 Art Framework and 2023/2027 Strategic Plan aspirations of;
A place to call home
* A vibrant and diverse destination
* An active & engaged community
* A range of well-planned public spaces
The installation of the Brushstrokes for Better murals will commence in January 2026 and will take approximately 3 weeks to complete.
This project is funded through the Australian Government Regional Arts Fund (Country Arts SA Project Grants), Kingston District Council & the KSMH Kingston/ Robe Health Advisory Council.
For more information on artist Taylr Jay visit https://www.taylrjay.com/
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Contact:
Ian Hart
Chief Executive Officer, Kingston District Council
E | ceo@kingstondc.sa.gov.au
M | 0408 809 712
Kristen Wilks
Community Development Officer, Kingston District Council
E | kwilks@kingstondc.sa.gov.au
M | 0400 162 477