A one-day gathering exploring good practice in participatory arts and mental health projects, taking place at Civic House in Glasgow on Fri 24 October 2025
What are the challenges, and rewards, of creating participatory arts projects that focus on mental health? Why is this work important and how should it be supported?
Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) is inviting artists and organisations from across Scotland to a one-day learning event at Civic House in Glasgow, to share their experiences of working on recent participatory arts projects that address mental health.
They will explore subjects from social prescription to working with hospitals, while inviting attendees to contribute to Mistress Pieces, an interactive artwork by artist Jen Hyatt. There’s also the chance to take home your own Befriendable Black Dogs, created by artist Luke ‘Luca’ Cockayne who will be sharing their work in the venue throughout the day.
FULL PROGRAMME
Opening session: What does good practice look like?
11am-12.30pm
What are the key factors that make a participatory arts project successful? We bring together a panel of experts who have worked on recent projects for Findhorn Bay Arts, Independent Arts Projects, Alchemy Film and Arts (Hawick), Lapidus Scotland, Inverclyde Community Care Forum, and Flourish House in Glasgow to share their work and compare experiences.
Working with Hospitals
1.15pm-2.45pm
A sharing and discussion session with Rachel McBrinn and James Thomson, recently film-makers in residence at Royal Edinburgh Hospital, and Heather Lander (Project Ability) and Fiona Sinclair (Art in the Gart) who are currently working together on an exhibition which opens at Gartnavel Royal Hospital as part of this year’s SMHAF programme.
Exploring Social Prescription
3pm-4pm
What is social prescription and what are the benefits? Find out more from experts including Aya Iguchi-Sherry of Artlink Central, which has been running an adult mental health social prescription service in Stirling since 2003, and Helen Moore of Lyth Arts Centre, which recently launched a new participatory, creative social prescribing project in Caithness.
Mistress Pieces: a talk by artist Jen Hyatt
4.15pm-5pm
To finish the programme, artist Jen Hyatt shares her story of empowering other people through participatory art projects.
For further information, please contact aeaton-lewis@mentalhealth.org.uk or visit https://www.mhfestival.com/events/participatory-arts-mental-health-symposium.
