A Drop of Hope

The Francis Crick Institute is a biomedical discovery institute researching the biology underlying human health. During the covid-19 pandemic, their public engagement gallery was transformed into a vaccination centre. Thousands of visitor contributions, reflecting on their experiences of the pandemic and receiving the vaccine, were collected to inspire the work of 12 poets-in-residence, A Drop of Hope, which I creative produced. These multi-lingual poems formed the basis of a layered and dynamic rainbow collage - a large-scale participatory public artwork and poetry installation developed in collaboration with Poet in the City.

Through capturing feelings of anxiety, relief, gratitude, loss and hope from vaccine recipients as the starting point, the poems became a visible, welcoming presence that acknowledged the emotional dimensions of vaccination and public health. New poems and colours were added over time, reflecting how the individual actions of those coming to be vaccinated contributed to a larger cumulative effort. Read and listen to the poems here.

Film by Ed Prosser for Francis Crick Institute

The project had significant reach and resonance. It was experienced not only by people passing through the vaccination centre but, presented in English, Bengali and Somali, the multicultural community in the surrounding public space. As such, they offered a moment of recognition and shared humanity during a period marked by isolation and uncertainty. A Drop of Hope has been recognised internationally as an innovative example of participatory art and science engagement, including being recognised by the World Health Organisation for its innovative approach to science communication and won a D&AD award for its design.

Through its multilingual approach and visible placement in a high-traffic public setting, the installation emphasised inclusivity and social connection, bridging scientific contexts and ordinary moments of human experience during a time of global crisis. In addition to creative producing this challenging public art project, I also initiated a collaboration with the Royal National Institute for the Blind and NaviLens. "NaviLens has been designed specifically to enable blind and partially sighted people to be able to access and locate information and interact with the environment around them" (more information here). Incorporating NaviLens turned a purely visual display into an auditory landscape of poems, which expanded the accessibility of the artwork.

I led the strategic delivery of A Drop of Hope, working to align creative intent with the operational realities of a working biomedical building. The Francis Crick Institute’s vaccination centre - and entire building - was first and foremost a functioning research and health facility, with strict safety and access requirements. I navigated complex logistics to establish how public artwork could be installed safely and respectfully in this context — collaborating with building managers, health and safety teams, and operational staff to ensure that installation, access and material choices met the site’s technical requirements while maintaining the work’s visual and experiential impact.

I identified a suitable contractor, commissioning and overseeing the production of the bespoke structures that carried the poems. I developed the creative brief and managed the process so that the installation responded to both the architectural context of the building and the conceptual needs of the work.

In parallel, I commissioned and directed the video documentation of A Drop of Hope, shaping how the artwork would be recorded, framed and communicated beyond the physical site. This involved articulating the documentation’s objectives, working with filmmakers to capture the installation and its public interactions, and providing editorial oversight to ensure the resulting film aligned with the project’s thematic purpose.

Through strategic programme development, logistical coordination, commissioning and creative oversight, I helped realise a project that brought community expression into dialogue with science and public health, creating a nuanced public artwork embedded within an active biomedical environment.