Art in mind at Tate exchange, 31 March - 1 April 2017, Tate Modern
Art in mind was a two-day combined programme shared by SLaM Arts that invited the public to drop-in for workshops, discussions, a collaborative installation, film screenings and art showcasing. The day consisted of:
- Creative workshops and an artwork exchange with SLaM AdArt and Salome/SHARP gallery.
- Exchanging an artwork for a gesture or smile with SLaM AdArt’s project Art for Your Pocket.
- An exhibition of photographs of the exchange which built a large collaborative artwork throughout the day.
- A workshop where participants made origami memory boxes, little men for a ‘mental skip’ and multi-sensory pastel drawings which formed a ‘herb garden’ on the floor.
- Drop in, experience, and explore arts therapies.
- The opportunity to join SLaM Arts Therapists and get a taste of how art, music, drama and dance are used in arts therapies.
- Information on working with images, music and performance to explore and express ideas and feelings.
This project supported the idea that well-planned collaborations between people who are explicit about their lived experience of mental health problems and others can have a positive impact, both for those with and without such experience.
Dr Claire Henderson, academic lead
Co-designing and co-producing the Art in Mind public programme at Tate Exchange was an important extension and affirmation of my practice in arts and mental health. It was very satisfying to find that there is a potential opportunity in the use of art and social engagement to impact on mental health stigma.
Helen Shearn, artistic lead
I think a big misconception with mental health is that if you suffer from depression, you are constantly, constantly depressed. And you never smile, and you never laugh. I’ve been depressed most of my adult life, but yeah, I can laugh, and I can do things, you know… but it doesn’t mean I’m not depressed.
Artist and mental health service user
I really loved… seeing that someone else felt so emotional. She was talking; she said that she had panic attacks. Being able to relate to her both as a creative person and also someone who has… lived experiences. Yeah, we felt like equals; I felt it was just a really nice connection.
Audience member
Dr Claire Henderson
Helen Shearn
Helen Shearn is an independent consultant, facilitator and producer in Arts, Mental Health and Wellbeing. She has over 15 years experience working in arts and mental health policy and management at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) co-producing and implementing the Arts Strategy and supporting and leading many multi-partnership arts programmes and projects for social inclusion, recovery and wellbeing, for example leading Art in Mind at Tate Exchange and strategic involvement in the Impact Art Fair 2013 and Anxiety 2014 - arts and mental health Festival.
Helen has spoken nationally and internationally: on arts and wellbeing for asylum seekers and refugees in Finland; on heritage, mental health and dementia for the Heritage Lottery Fund; on the Journeys of Appreciation Programme (museums and older adult inpatients project) for AESOP; for Age Friendly Museums network; the All Parliamentary Party Group (APPG) on Arts, Health and Wellbeing; for the Cultural Commissioning Programme, for Outreach Europe and at the International Conference on Culture, Health & Wellbeing 2017
Dr Jennifer Walke
Dr Jennifer Walke is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience. Her academic interests include the sociocultural history of psychiatry, and the construction and promotion of service user expertise. She has also collaborated with a range of cultural sector partners, in creative initiatives for mental health public engagement and stigma reduction.
Dr Anna Kolliakou
Marianne Focke
The Salome Gallery at SHARP
SLaM AdArt