Earlier this year, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland announced details of a new £600,000 Mental Health and Arts Programme
This new programme, supported by the National Lottery and The Baring Foundation, is a key action aligned to the Arts Council’s 10-year Strategy, focusing on
- delivering a sector that contributes to social and economic benefits
- supporting arts projects that address contemporary societal challenges.
The programme is being developed following public consultation and feedback from the arts community and in response to the NI Executive’s Mental Health Strategy 2021-31, with its key theme of promoting good mental health across society.
The programme has three strands focusing on
- training and support for artists to improve their own mental health
- specialist training and upskilling for artists who work in the field of mental health
- pairing artists with organisations specialising in mental health work in order to develop bespoke community arts programmes for vulnerable groups
In September 2024, the Arts Council hosted a number of regional workshops with mental health charity Inspire Wellbeing. The sessions were designed to find out more about artists mental health and wellbeing and discuss how this new programme could support artists going forward.
Over the coming months, the Arts Council will be working to develop training workshops and networking events for arts organisations/artists and those working in the field of mental health.
Find out more about the Arts Council’s Mental Health and Arts Programme.
First published 15 October 2024
