Organisation and groups across Renfrewshire are being called on to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination through the arts.
The Anti-Stigma Arts Fund – run by See Me, Scotland’s programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination – is now in its fourth year, accepting applications from constituted groups or organisations.
It has been shown that the arts can be used to challenge stigmatising attitudes and behaviours associated with mental health.
The first Anti-Stigma Arts Fund was launched in 2021, where See Me received applications from a range of organisations and individuals across Scotland. Its successful first year meant the programme was able to fund another round in 2022 and 2023 – and is now seeking the 2024-25 projects.
A diverse range of inspiring arts-based projects have been produced with the help of the grant.
Photo: Scott Redmond and Fever Peach Morgan Black performing at Prism as part of Icebreaker Dundee’s project
Photo: Morgan Black performing at Prism as part of Icebreaker Dundee’s project
Photo: An image of a poster created as part of the SAY Women zine
Photo: Monuments for Change launch – The exhibition, partially funded by the Anti-Stigma Arts Fund, was created through a participatory action project by the Maryhill Integration Network, Museum of Things
These include a film on the impact of stigma around male suicide, a spoken word showcase on the intersection between mental health and perceived gender, a public information comic created with young women who have experienced abuse and homelessness, and a live choir performance made up of female-identifying survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence.
For 2024-25, proposals are encouraged from organisations and constituted groups working in Scotland who will create a participatory creative project. Grants of between £500 to £5,000 could be awarded.
Maeve Grindall, project officer for communities and priority groups at See Me, said: “We are thrilled to announce the launch of this year’s fund.
“Previous funded activities have contributed so much to our understanding of mental health stigma and discrimination for particular groups and communities, and we are excited to discover our next recipients and see another group of incredible creative projects take shape.”
The deadline to apply is midnight on Thursday 9th January.
Projects must meaningfully engage with people with experiences and impacts of poverty. They should also focus on the experience of racialised communities, physical disabilities, and people with experience of mental illness.
More information on the application process and the previous projects can be found on the See Me website.