Bedlam Festival invites The Red Earth Collective to deliver creative programmes in Medium-Secure mental health settings across Birmingham
We have recently been invited by the Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust to continue as a creative partner for the Bedlam Mental Health Arts Festival.
The festival has previously taken place in Birmingham every two years, but this year Trust has decided to extend its reach by delivering a year-long programme of events and projects with partners including SAMPAD, The Midlands Arts Centre and The REP Theatre to support the well-being of service users and staff across the city.
The Red Earth Collective will be delivering two creative programmes in secure mental health settings in Birmingham. We will collaborate with artists with lived experience of mental health issues to work with patients to develop their creativity and produce new work that addresses the issues and barriers that they face and celebrates their wellbeing.
Our founder Sandra Griffiths is looking forward to being involved.
“We really enjoyed taking part in the festival last year and I am very happy that the Trust continue to recognise the importance of the work that we are doing. Last year we partnered with Bedlam to deliver a training programme with emerging black artists, all with lived experience, to develop their creativity. The project culminated in three live performances across Birmingham including one at the Oleaster medium secure unit in Edgbaston. It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm that patients and staff had for the artists and we were inspired by the talent and courage of a number of men who stood up and performed in front of their peers. We are really looking forward to working on two longer term initiatives that, we hope. will have a positive impact in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of women and men who face serious mental health issues.”
