1st - 19th October 2008
Lanarkshire are delighted to participate in the second Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival is the largest festival of its kind in the world and becoming a major cultural event in Scotland, providing a platform to challenge, engage and explore issues and themes around mental health.
Encompassing film, comedy, music, theatre, literature and visual art we bring together a unique partnership of arts, health and community organisations. All events are free or of low cost taking place in dozens of venues across Scotland throughout October. Details of the festival can be found at http://www.mhfestival.com/ and Lanarkshire events are posted below. The festival brochure can be downloaded here or paper copies are available from Avril (details below).
If you would like to be involved in the festival, please contact Avril Thomson on 01698 377 626 Avril.Thomson@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk Lanarkshire festival partners include: NHS Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire Council, South Lanarkshire Council, Lanarkshire Links, The University of West of Scotland, Bazooka Arts, Clubnet, Lanarkshire Association for Mental Health, Equals Advocacy.
‘see me’, Scotland’s national campaign to end the stigma and discrimination of mental ill-health, is organising a number of local/regional photo exhibitions in collaboration with the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. Three winning photos from each local exhibition will be selected for the national exhibition hosted by ‘see me’ on its website in November 2008. Lanarkshire entries will be showcased at the 'Well Factor and the Lanarkshire Recovery Network DVD Lunch (details below).
There are two categories for the photos:
1. “Mentally Positive” – this incorporates aspects like positive mental well-being; recovery; things that people do to keep mentally healthy.
2. “Through Thick and Thin” – this concentrates on the support that people who experience mental health problems receive from their friends, family and colleagues. Ideally the photos would be about both the person with experience of mental health problems and their supporter(s).
Entries should be sent to: Lanarkshire Links Dalziel Building Rooms 3.5 – 3.6 Dalziel Business Centre 7 Scott Street MOTHERWELL ML1 1PN T: 01698 265232 see_me_lanarkshirephotocomp@lanarkshirelinks.org.uk
Further details can be found on the Submission Guidelines or the see me website.
As part of the festival, free film screenings will be shown at the Vogue Cinema in Lanark. Information on mental health and well-being will be available at the screenings. Tickets are free of charge, no prior booking required.
Wed 1st Oct 7pm - Lars and the Real Girls (12A)
Sun 5th Oct 7pm - Sweet Sixteen (18)
Sun 12th Oct 7pm - On a Clear Day (12A)
Tues 14th Oct 2pm - Finding Nemo (U)
Wed 15th Oct 2pm - High School Musical (U)
Wed 15th Oct 7pm - After Life (15)
Thur 16th Oct 2pm - Madagascar (U)
Wednesday 8th October 7pm (doors open 6pm) The 'Well Factor will showcase comedy, art, drama, dance and music to celbrate positive mental health and well being in Lanarkshire. The show will include performances by local Lanarkshire people, displaying how the arts can help improve well-being and assist recovery from mental ill health. Tickets for this event are free but must be booked in advance. To book tickets (groups welcome), please email Avril on Avril.Thomson@Lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk or phone 01698 377 626.
Friday 10th October 2pm The production, In Troubled Times has been developed in partnership with a young person's project and Glasgow City Council to portray young peoples' issues in homelessness. Across three interwoven stories, the half hour production explores; family breakdown, bullying and stigma, offending and the consequences, substance misuse, gang violence and prostitution. Following the performance will be a question and answer session. Tickets for this event are free but must be booked in advance. To book tickets (groups welcome), please email Avril on Avril.Thomson@Lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk or phone 01698 377 626.
Friday 3rd October Townhead Community Centre Thursday 9th October Cumbernauld New Town Hall Friday 17th October John McCormick Community Centre 2pm - 4pm
A 2 hour introduction to the Health Issues in the Community course. Health Issues in the Community is a national training resource that is ideally suited to help equip local people for the real challenges they face in developing community responses to health issues and becoming more active citizens. It is aimed at local people who are involved or interested in community health initiatives. They may be members of self-help / user groups, community organisations, volunteers, members of voluntary management committees or individuals who find access to mainstream education provision alienating or difficult.
To book places (groups welcome) please email Lynne on CruickshankL@northlan.gsx.gov.uk or phone 01698 332073.
Monday 13th October 2pm - 4pm Motherwell Civic Theatre "Talk to Me" is a powerful, hard hitting drama written and performed by a group of young people from Hamilton and the Clydesdale area. It explores what it is like to be a teenager today and tackles issues such as bullying, self harm, eating disorders, bereavement, drug and alcohol issues. Whilst aimed at a teenage audience, adults have also found it very moving and thought provoking. Following the performance the audience can take part in an interactive question session and information on mental health and well-being will be available.
Tickets for this event are free but must be booked in advance. To book tickets (groups welcome), please email Avril on Avril.Thomson@Lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk or phone 01698 377 626.
Friday 17 October 12 - 4pm and 6 - 10pm Banqueting Hall, Almada Street, South Lanarkshire Council Building, Hamilton
Lanarkshire Recovery Network was formally launched on 25th June 2008. Lanarkshire Links host the LRN, putting service users at the heart of recovery with the aim to:
In partnership with the Scottish Recovery Network, the LRN are launching a recovery DVD that will highlight how each individual person's recovery journey is and who and what were important to them along that journey.
The afternoon event (12noon - 4pm) will include: Lunch, keynote speaker from the SRN, the screening of the Recovery DVD followed by and question and anwser session with the DVD participants and finally group discussions on the DVD and recovery. Information will be available on mental health, healthy living and recovery.
The evening event (7pm - 9.45pm) will include: The Recovery DVD screening, buffet and live music.
Tickets for this event are free but must be booked in advance. To book tickets contact the Lanarkshire Recovery Network on LRN@Lanarkshirelinks.org.uk or 01698 265232.
Thursday 9 October 7 - 9pm (18+) Sir John Wilson Town Hall, Airdrie Come along to this drama workshop with the already established NL Studio, North Lanarkshire's own all ability drama company and enjoy a practical workshop session that will give you a taste of what drama can do for you! It's fun, it gives you confidence, you meet new people and learn new skills. What are you waiting for? Places for this workshop are free (18 years + only) but must be booked in advance. To book a place, call Laura McIver, Drama Development Officer, North Lanarkshire Council on 01236 607 416.
Tuesday 7 October 2pm Wednesday 8 October 7.30pm East Kilbride Village Theatre Be uplifted with the best selection of songs from Scotland, Ireland, Musical Theatre and some good old classics with a comedy theme. Songs from Oliver, South Pacific and more! A great example of how the power of music can help create a feeling of well-being. Theatre NEMO have won many awards for its positive and far reaching work in the community and now presents a musical feast as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. We guarantee that you will go away from the theatre feeling better than when you went in. Theatre NEMO is open to all and we welcome new members.
Ticket prices: £5 / £4 concessions Tickets are available from East Kilbride Theatre or Arts Centre East Kilbride Theatre 01355 248 669 East Kilbride Arts Centre 01355 261 000
A Place to Be Upstage Cafe / Bar, Civic Centre, Motherwell 3 - 31 October (free) Open 10am - 3pm Exhibition of the talents of community members from across North Lanarkshire
Weaving the Threads Chatelherault Country Park, Court Yard Gallery 1 - 18 October (free) Open 10am - 5pm (Mon to Sat) Open 12 - 5pm (Sun) Exhibition of the creative talents of community members from across Lanarkshire
Sunday 19 October 7pm Cumbernauld Theatre A Sweetscar Presentation
In co-production with Tramway and Cumbernauld Theatre
‘I don’t find my plays depressing or lacking in hope.... To create something beautiful about despair is for me the most hopeful, life-affirming thing a person can do.’ - Sarah Kane
4.48 Psychosis was Sarah Kane’s last play. She hit headlines at the age of 23 with her controversial play Blasted. Four years later, she killed herself having suffered from severe depression. Prior to the Scottish tour a special preview performance has been scheduled for the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival.
This event is for people who work in mental health and users of mental health services.
Thursday 16 October 1 - 4pm South Lanarkshire Council Building, Almada Street, Hamilton Brought to you by UNISON, Choose Life and Glasgow Caledonian University.
An exploration of mental health, discrimination and social justice using political song with GCU Research Collections, followed by a workshop on suicide awareness with Choose Life.
Tickets are free but must be booked in advance. To book tickets, contact dawn.burns@health.scot.nhs.uk
In October 2007 Glasgow and Lanarkshire hosted the first Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. The festival was a truly multi-media exploration of mental health, surrounding world mental health day. Events included documentaries, movies, drama, music gigs, visual arts, community events, testimony, debate and research, creative writing workshops and film production.
Lanarkshire festival partners included: NHS Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire Council, South Lanarkshire Council, Lanarkshire Links, Club Net, Lanarkshire Association for Mental Health and Equals Advocacy.
The Festival Launch, opened by Gail Porter
Actress Paula Sage at the film screening of Afterlife
Screams, Dreams and Scenes showcase