Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival Highland aims to tackle stigma through artwork and films
Short films and a nature art workshop are among activities planned for the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival Highland.
The festival, which starts today with an arts exhibition in Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, aims to promote arts for mental wellbeing and reduce stigma associated with mental health.
This year’s theme, set by the Mental Health Foundation, ‘In/Visible’, which has inspired many creative artworks.
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The festival is a collaborative event supported by individual artists from around the Highlands, and organisations such as Creativity In Care, Arts In Nature, Mikeysline, Evanton Wood Community Company, Friday Futures group for families affected by dementia, Art and Soul creative group for women, Green Tree Arts, Rag Tag Skye, Brora Gallery Social Enterprise, Listening Ear – Caithness and North Coast Helping Hands.
Karrie Marshall, of Creativity In Care, said: “There is an exciting mix of art including powerful expressive art of hidden stories about service provision, masks with meaning, and humorous art about growing unseen qualities and ambitions.
“We are grateful to the Mental Health Foundation for supporting some of the travel and material costs. The festival mainly runs on the goodwill of all involved.’
The programme of events includes short films and discussion at Eden Court Theatre on Sunday, October 13, from 3pm-5.30pm.
There will also be a mixed media and nature art workshop with Green Tree Arts and Arts in Nature at Eden Court on Wednesday, October 16, from 2pm-4pm.
Check the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival website for more information. Further details of festival events can also be found at the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival Highland Facebook page.
