Celebrating mothers’ voices through photography, storytelling and creative health across Liverpool’s NHS hospitals.
The Holding Time Project brought an ambitious programme of photographic portraits and mothers’ stories to Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, creating a highly visible celebration of breastfeeding and maternal experience within public healthcare settings.
Launched during Baby Week in November 2023, the exhibition was developed by artist Lisa Creagh in collaboration with breastfeeding mothers from Cheshire and Merseyside, with funding and support from Improving Me, the NHS Women’s Health and Maternity Programme.
The collection toured the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Aintree Hospital and Broadgreen Hospital, bringing contemporary photographic portraits of breastfeeding mothers into spaces used every day by patients, staff and visitors.
Making Breastfeeding Visible
At the heart of Holding Time are mothers’ lived experiences.
Through photography, animated portraits, video interviews and creative writing, the project explores the emotional, cultural and practical realities of breastfeeding, including the barriers that prevent many women from continuing for as long as they wish.
The exhibition celebrates the diversity of maternal experiences while challenging stereotypes and making breastfeeding more visible in everyday public life.
Art, Public Health and Cultural Change
The launch coincided with the NHS’s 75th anniversary celebrations and the introduction of a new breastfeeding policy at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
By connecting an arts-led public engagement programme with the Trust’s commitment to breastfeeding-friendly facilities and environments, Holding Time demonstrated how creative practice can contribute to wider conversations about maternal health, inclusion and patient experience.
The exhibition was later awarded the Royal Society for Public Health Arts and Health Award as part of a consortium of exhibitions in hospitals by National Arts in Hospitals Network in 2024.
Mothers’ Stories Beyond the Hospital
Alongside the hospital exhibitions, visitors were invited to discover mothers’ recorded interviews through the Holding Time podcast and Liverpool audio trail.
These connected projects extended the work beyond hospital walls, creating opportunities for families and communities to encounter real breastfeeding experiences across the city.
The Liverpool University Hospitals exhibition forms an important part of Holding Time’s ongoing exploration of how art, lived experience and public engagement can challenge breastfeeding stigma and contribute to more supportive maternal healthcare environments.
