Press Release
Launch of film and art exhibition celebrating arts and mental health
8 March 2007
On Friday 9 March at the Hannah Maclure Centre in Dundee, Art Angel, a local arts and mental health project, will launch it’s recently completed film, Winter Sun and an accompanying art exhibition.
Winter Sun celebrates the innovative work of six artists and challenges the public perception of mental health problems through exploring the issue of recovery and how creative activity can advance wellbeing. The exhibition entitled ‘…a short but yet a cloudless day’ showcases work from the six artists involved in the making of the film as well as other artists from Art Angel. The exhibition will run from March 12th to April 30th at the Hannah Maclure Centre in Dundee.
Rosie Summerton, Manager of Art Angel said: “Artistic and creative expression can be a vital part of peoples recovery from long term mental health problems. It helps to give people meaning and purpose and gives participants an opportunity to re-define themselves as artists with something to offer the community. This in turn helps to build people’s confidence and self esteem, which are key factors in recovery and overall wellbeing.”
The film and exhibition was funded and supported by the Scottish Recovery Network. Since conception the SRN has worked to raise awareness of recovery from long term mental health across Scotland as part of the Scottish Executive's National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Wellbeing.
-CONTACT-
For further information and to arrange interviews:
Rosie Summerton
Tel: 07746984521
Email: artangel@tiscali.co.uk
-NOTES FOR EDITORS-
Winter Sun Film and Art Exhibition Launch – 9th March 2007, 5:30 – 7:30pm, at the Hannah Maclure Centre, University of Abertay, Dundee.
Exhibition ‘…a short but yet a cloudless day’ runs from March 12th to April 30th from 9:30am – 4:45pm, Monday to Friday.
Art Angel
For more information about Art Angel contact Rosie Summerton on 01382 228 383 or 07746984521 or by e-mail at artangel@tiscali.co.uk
The Art Angel project has 10 years experience of offering a wide spectrum of person centred arts based activities to individuals as a means to build confidence, self-esteem and positive self-expression. Through exhibitions, book publications, live performances and film, Art Angel raises awareness of mental health. Promoting the ethos of arts as advocacy, it uses creative exploration and communication to help people regain control of their own healthcare. It is run by and for people with experience of mental health difficulties.
Scottish Recovery Network:
For more information on the Scottish Recovery Network visit www.scottishrecovery.net or phone 0141 240 7790. By visiting the website you can view recovery stories, read about efforts to better understand the recovery process and join the Network mailing list.
1. One in four Scottish adults will experience some form of mental health problem in any year.
2. People can and do recover from even the most severe mental health problems.
3. Recovery means having the opportunity to live a satisfying and fulfilling life in the presence or absence of ongoing symptoms.
4. Mental illness refers to a diagnosable illness that significantly interferes with an individual's functional, cognitive, emotional or social abilities. Mental illnesses are of different types and degrees of severity. Some of the major mental illnesses perceived to be public health issues are depression, anxiety, substance misuse disorders, psychosis and dementia.
5. 30% of all GP consultations involve mental health problems.
(Our National Health, a plan for action a plan for change: Scottish Executive Health Department December 2000)
6. The Scottish Recovery Network is part of the Scottish Executive's National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Wellbeing (www.wellontheweb.net). The Programme’s over arching vision for Scotland is:
Improving mental health and well-being for everyone living in Scotland, and improving the quality of life and social inclusion of people experiencing mental health problems.