Arts and Minds Network will be launching their Annual Open Exhibition online on Wednesday 7 October 2020 at artsandmindsnetwork.org.uk/exhibition.
This will be their 14th Annual Exhibition but their first to be launched online to reach art-loving audiences during the coronavirus pandemic. It showcases the amazing work of Arts and Minds members, many of them undiscovered local artists.
The exhibition features over 40 artists who responded to the theme of ‘Change is Gonna Come’. The show is a celebration of wellbeing and mental health, and explores the links between creativity and mental health.
But what are mental health issues? What is ‘wellbeing’? What defines ‘normal’? In today’s diverse society, there is no such thing as normal. We all have our idiosyncrasies and that’s what makes us human, so please, view this show that takes a healthy look at mental health. It’s positive, perky and proud. Think Leeds, with glitter!
According to the World Health Organisation, 1 in 4 people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives (450 million worldwide). With current life changing events, there has never been a better time to raise the profile of these issues. But this is not just an exhibition about mental health, it is about the wellbeing of all. Change is fundamental to our very existence and it is change that makes us human.
This Saturday (10 October 2020) marks World Mental Health Day and it is hoped the exhibition will be a timely reminder of the important part creativity can play in people’s wellbeing and recovery. Linda Boyles, Arts and Minds Development Manager, said:
“We never imagined when we started the exhibition 14 years ago, that it would grow to be such a well-loved and anticipated feature of Leeds cultural calendar. Arts and Minds Network has helped chip away at the stigma of mental illness, by showcasing a wealth of undiscovered talent, and demonstrating how creativity can help people recover. We are thrilled to be celebrating the exhibition’s 14th anniversary.”
This post is based on press release issued on behalf of Arts and Minds Network
Image: ‘Beautiful Chaos’ by The Perky Painter
