aboutus
2021 festival
LONELINESS
This year’s festival runs from 10-16 May 2021 (to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week) with a programme of varied, vivid arts events that aim to create a platform for high-quality artwork that deals compassionately and intelligently with mental health.
Festival Director Dawn Richardson:
'Through our shared rich culture of the Arts, we can challenge stigma and mental-health inequalities in our systems and society.
We can support the recovery and wellbeing of those who have experienced mental-health issues through accessible, interactive, empowering arts projects.
NI Mental Health Arts Festival is created by, and for, those who have faced mental-health challenges and who are often missed by both the arts and health education models -providing a space where people can gain insight & share experiences.
As a response to the call for a Loneliness Strategy in Northern Ireland, this year’s festival will include a specially commissioned publication on the theme of 'Loneliness' which will link to artworks, soundscapes and dance pieces on the NIMHAF website."
WHAT WE DO
CELEBRATE MENTAL
HEALTH
CHALLENGE STIGMA & INEQUALITy
ESTABLISH ENDURING PARTNERSHIPS
SUPPORT RECOVERY & WELLBEING
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CONTACT US
NIMHAF is a festival highlighting mental health by showcasing arts events
across Northern Ireland. With arts on offer from visual arts and photography, poetry and song to psychodrama, music, comedy and film, the festival promises to put transformation on the agenda across Northern Ireland.
Founded in 2013, the Northern Ireland Mental Health Arts Festival (NIMHAF) was the first of its kind in Northern Ireland.
2020's festival jumped online and was the most accessible festival ever, coinciding with Mental Health Awareness Week from18th -24th May. All events from the 2020 festival are available to enjoy on the Event Archive page.
Watch this space for upcoming events and developments for the 2021 Festival, taking place from 10-16 May.