[Humanization through the art of environment of children's emergency in a hospital]

This article aims to present and discuss a case-study of human betterment through the arts applied to a children's hospital. The experience related to the betterment of these environments took place in the Children's Emergency Service of the University Hospital in Salamanca. After describing the context of the case-study some attention will be devoted to the phases of the process, emphasizing those aspects linked to children's care culture and their families as well as the symbolic dimension of the space and the participation of different professionals in the experience. The case-study is assessed from different standpoints but special importance is given to parents' opinions. 51 parents of children in the emergency unit were interweaved during a month. Parents valued positively the service and stated that artists' intervention had been beneficial for the children's emotional state. The article concludes with a debate about the meaning of the hospital environment and the quality associated with its physical premises.