The Northern Ireland Mental Health Arts Festival 2025 Opening Symposium

NI Mental Health Arts Festival presents CathARTSis our opening Arts & Mental Health Symposium Belfast 9th May 2025, 10.30am - 3.30pm, registration at 9.30am

This year our Free NIMHAF Symposia return to Belfast & Derry – Londonderry, both are UNESCO Learning Cities. NIMHAF is committed to this lifelong learning agenda. The Symposia take place in Belfast on Friday 9th May at The MAC and on Tuesday.

Join us for these Free Face to Face Symposia as we continue to challenge stigma and celebrate the power of creativity, self-expression and the arts upon our mental health & wellbeing. Be inspired from insights from a range of speakers & peers, that deal compassionately and intelligently with the stigma associated with talking about our mental health and consider opportunities to influence policy & practice in Mental Health & well being and support access & provision to equitable services to support for all our futures.

Keynote Speakers:

The Lord Mayor of Belfast Micky Murray

Gail Aldman: Mental Health Foundation UK and Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival

Emma Eager: Project Co-ordinator National website for Arts & Health in Ireland HSERéalta

Paul Marshall: Artist & Photographer

Darren Ferguson: CEO Beyond Skin

Lorraine Calderwood: ACNI

Sharon Howe: Creative Communities Engagement Officer Cavan Co Council

Glenn Millar: NI Alternatives Restorative Justice Musican

Community worker, Podcaster & author Made to Parade

Kieron Black - Visual & Performing Artist, Educator, Singer Songwriter member of Band Cut Rubber.

With performances from Kieron Black from Cut Rubber and the Belfast Ukele Jam.

Drawn from a range of contexts including the artists across artforms, mental health and wellbeing professionals, voluntary, youth & community sectors, including advocates and activists and gleaning significant learning from those with lived experience informing academic research. The symposia will provide challenging & enlightening presentations, inspiring forums for dialogue & creative exchange, opportunities to network, and feature performances from artists across artforms.

Who is it suitable for:

Suitable for fellow artists, creatives, mental health practitioners, advocates, educators, academics, community leaders, those with lived experience and those with an interest in Mental health & well being.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/belfast-symposium-tickets-1317624754109?aff=oddtdtcreator

Extra:

Lunch will be provided.