COVID's Hidden Scars
How did caring for patients during COVID affect critical care nurses? Explore an art installation shaped by five years of research into the hidden emotional toll of the pandemic.
Episode will release on the 6th November 2026
COVID’s Hidden Scars is an immersive art installation developed by Dr Martyn Griffin from a six-year study into the psychological and emotional trauma experienced by critical care nurses during and after the pandemic. Centred around a recreated critical care bed, the exhibit incorporates a filmed performance, photographs, a handcrafted patchwork quilt and a large mural to reflect the study’s key findings. The artworks were co-designed with artists James Croft, Sally Ann Spencer-Grey, Rebel Roots Theatre Company and Yid Whells. You are invited to step into this quiet space to reflect on the unseen emotional toll borne by healthcare workers and their attempts to repair and heal.
Credits
- Researcher: Dr Martyn Griffin (Senior Lecturer in Organization Studies at the University of Sheffield)
- Artist: James Croft
- Artist: Sally-Ann Spencer Grey
- Podcast Recording & Editing: Kitty Turner
- Podcast Producer: David Heath (Digital Engagement Officer at the University of Sheffield)
