Stories of stories: Thinking normalcy through the narratives of hospital clowns’ encounters with children

The "Stories of Stories" project by Operação Nariz Vermelho explores the impact of Clown Doctors in hospitals and their potential to enhance artistic interventions. Using an autoethnographic approach, it analyses narratives from artists’ reports on their interactions with children and adolescents in Portuguese hospitals. The study highlights two central themes: the concept of "normalcy" and mental health in hospital settings. It suggests that hospital clowns create a symbolic space that empowers children, respects their autonomy, and fosters emotional well-being, aligning with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). The findings underscore the psychosocial benefits of these interventions, emphasising their role in humanising hospital care and supporting children’s identities beyond their diagnoses. This research calls for deeper investigation into the broader impact of artistic interventions in healthcare.