10th-19th of may ~ This year, our theme is PAUSE
A warm welcome to the 10th anniversary of our Northern Ireland Mental Health Arts Festival 2024.
Our NIMHAF Festival coincides with Mental Health Awareness Week and runs from 10th-19th May 2024.
We are delighted to present together with all of our Festival Partners, a regional programme of events across artforms that are diverse, eclectic and engaging across Northern Ireland, both virtual and face to face.
We have an extensive range of exhibitions too leading into and beyond our Festival dates.
Our theme this year is PAUSE, a time to stop, stand still, reflect upon the importance of our own and each-others mental health and well being.
We encourage you to PAUSE with us, to reflect upon the pivotal role of creativity, arts and culture in helping us make sense of a chaotic world.
An invitation to embrace and celebrate your own creativity and self expression, participate, appreciate and celebrate the creativity of others in a Festival that is diverse, dynamic and inclusive.
NIMHAF presents Symposiums on Mental Health & Creativity Matters
This year NIMHAF are delighted to present two major Symposiums between two Cities,
Derry/Londonderry on May 10th and Belfast City May 16th entitled "Mental Health & Creativity Matters."
Featuring challenging, enlightening presentations and conversations with Guest Speakers hosted by The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council and The Mayor of Belfast City Council in partnership with Ulster University.
We are delighted to welcome the NI Mental Health Champion along with speakers drawn from arts, health sport, education, community and voluntary sectors, with lived experience who provide insights that deal compassionately and intelligently with the stigma associated with talking about our mental health.
Both Symposiums highlight
the pivotal role and impact of creativity, self expression and the arts can have upon our mental health and wellbeing.
NI Mental Health Arts Festival Presents:
PAUSE CASTS
This year NIMHAF are offering a series of regional PAUSE CASTS facilitated by Frank Liddy and Noelle Mc Alinden over the next months across NI, hosted by the Arts Managers of NI and Arts organisations as we continue to promote opportunities to create space to pause, connect and build upon compassionate conversations across communities, promoting mental health and well being through creative and innovative ways of working.
Acknowledgements:
We are indebted to all of Funders & Festival partners The Baring Foundation, Arts Council NI ,Future Screens NI, The Mental Health Foundation.
Derry City & Strabane District Council & Belfast City Council, Ulster University and The Nerve Centre.
We are grateful to all our Arts and Cultural Managers across Northern Ireland.
Special thanks to all participating artists, activists, arts organisations, venues, volunteers, community and educational champions.
Special thanks to our dedicated NIMHAF Team, our previous and present NIMHAF Board Members & Festival Coordinator.
We look forward to building upon the success of previous years and continue to embrace the lessons learned and reflecting upon how lived experiences may inform theory & practice in Mental Health provision.
Join us as we PAUSE and continue to make an exhibition of ourselves and each other, with creativity, compassion & dignity.
Noelle Mc Alinden Chair NI Mental Health Arts Festival