200 Nationalities, One NHS
Learn about the UK's largest mural tribute to the NHS, celebrating diversity in our health service with Paint the Change
By Rich Mix
Created in collaboration with Paint the Change and Rich Mix
A giant artwork arrives in Bethnal Green
200 Nationalities, One NHS was a mural on display in East London throughout 2020 and 2021, celebrating the diversity of the NHS and frontline workers.
It featured 226 drawings and paintings of flowers crowdsourced from across the UK.
The largest mural in the UK to celebrate the NHS
This four-story artwork on the front of Rich Mix's building recognised the incredible amount of diversity in Britain's healthcare service, which is made up of almost 200 nationalities across 1.7 million members of staff.
The story behind the mural
Making history with one of the largest art murals in London.
200 Nationalities, One NHS (21st Century) by Rich MixRich Mix
A public call-out
Alongside contributions from workshops, we asked members of the public to send us their flowers, with a story behind them.
We received hundreds of submissions. Artist ATMA incorporated them into an artwork of flowers, creating 136 individual vinyl adhesives.
Behind the scenes
Come with us behind the scenes, as Efe Ezekiel and ATMA lead community workshops, creating the first flowers used in the mural.
200 Nationalities, One NHS (21st Century) by Rich MixRich Mix
Scaling the building
ATMA designed a collage of flowers that could be printed on to large vinyls. These were then applied to Rich Mix's moveable aluminium louvres, creating a giant piece of outdoor public art.
200 Nationalities, One NHS (21st Century) by DiyaRich Mix
Recognising our frontline workers
Consisting of hundreds of individual stories, the mural represents our collective gratitude for the NHS and frontline workers.
"The NHS is..."
Let’s hear what the NHS means to some of our mural participants, as well as the ways they were inspired to contribute to our mural.
200 Nationalities, One NHS (21st Century) by Sabine WeissbachRich Mix
Sabine
"When I found out about your project, I liked the idea very much. In the toxic atmosphere of Brexit it is important to point out that so many immigrants are part of the very frontline saving lives in this catastrophic health crisis."
200 Nationalities, One NHS (21st Century) by Doctor Shaun HaranRich Mix
Doctor Shaun
"I’m an obstetrician working in the NHS at a central London hospital so we’ve been delivering lots of 2020 babies! Art has been a great way to decompress after work. This flower is a hibiscus, the national flower from my Mum's birthplace of Malaysia."
Esther
Esther is a young Londoner from a Nigerian family who took part in the very first workshop for this mural. During this workshop, the need to celebrate diversity became a key message for us. We loved her incredible energy, creativity and dedication - she is the face of this mural!
200 Nationalities, One NHS (21st Century) by SaharRich Mix
Sahar
Sahar is a university student from Tower Hamlets. His idea was to create flowers containing flags from different countries: UK, Bangladesh (where his family originates from), Ireland, Nigeria and Spain. No matter where you are from, you are a flower, and they are all beautiful!
200 Nationalities, One NHS (21st Century) by Blaine HarrisonRich Mix
Blaine Harrison, Musician, The Mystery Jets
Musician Blaine has been hospitalised many times. He is a fervent ambassador of the NHS, as well as the right for people with disabilities to have access to cultural venues. Blaine took part in the Paint the Change online sessions to talk about the NHS and his inspirations.
200 Nationalities, One NHS (21st Century) by EvalynRich Mix
Alyson Frazier, Head of Operations, Play for Progress
Play for Progress are a charity working in London to help young refugees and asylum seekers through therapy, music and arts. They come from Iraq, Afghanistan, Kurdistan and many more countries affected by war and instability.
200 Nationalities, One NHS (21st Century) by ATMARich Mix
ATMA, Street Artist
“I created this flower inspired by William Morris, the British textile designer, whose quote, 'I do not want art for a few any more than education for a few, or freedom for a few', is a message that our society must be equal and everyone should be celebrated.”
200 Nationalities, One NHS (21st Century) by Rich MixRich Mix
Going global
Once complete, our mural featured on BBC News, Time Out, and Reuters. Across the world, people were able to share its message: one of celebrating diversity and recognising the contributions made by frontline workers during such a challenging time.
Time for a new look
After a year on the front of the building, we collaborated with Paint the Change on a new community mural, Culture for a Changing City.
The '200 Nationalities, One NHS' mural was created in partnership with street art for social justice organisation Paint the Change and Rich Mix.
The mural served as a reminder of the local community’s gratitude to the NHS and its diverse and international colleagues. Throughout 2020 and 2021, national and local lockdowns due to COVID-19 restricted where people could travel to. When safe, we welcomed everyone in the local area to make a trip down to our socially distant art work.
#RichMixLondon #200Nationalities1NHS
