Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival
The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) is one of Scotland's most diverse cultural events, covering everything from music, film and visual art to theatre, dance, and literature.
About Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival
| Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival , National Event | |
| Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival Website | |
| Facebook information can be found here | |
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A significant event in Scotland’s cultural calendar, the festival takes a positive stance on mental health, celebrating artistic endeavour by those with experience of mental health issues and connecting audiences to creative and innovative work.
Together with a wide range of mental health organisations, arts bodies, community groups and artists, we aim to challenge stigma and promote social change.
All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.
Upcoming Events at Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival
Jessica Ramm: Hard Edges Soft Layers
Hard Edges Soft Layers is an exhibition by Jessica Ramm, artist and writer based in Glasgow, exploring vulnerability within motherhood.
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ir/regular
Join the team at Project Ability for their next exhibition 'ir/regular featuring work from neurodivergent artist Grant Glennie.
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Remedy & Risk: Gelli Plate Printmaking
Remedy & Risk is an artist-led masterclass that explores the dual nature of plants – those that heal and those that harm – through the tactile process of Gelli printing.
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Sasha Shalmina: The Colour of Grief
Glasgow artist Sasha Shalmina's deeply personal solo exhibition The Colour of Grief, at New Glasgow Society, explores loss, healing and legacy.
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Brave Spaces
An exhibition of original screenprints created by participants working with Bazooka Arts and Glasgow Print Studio, in response to the theme Brave Spaces.
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Back To The Dark
'Back to the Dark' is a two-day workshop in traditional black and white photography and darkroom development, led by artist and filmmaker Wilma Smith at Summerlee Photomedia Studio in Coatbridge.
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I Used to Be: Weird Weaving
Explore weaving as a form of creative expression in this hands-on workshop inspired by the exhibition.
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Artspace: Creative Connections in Callander - Exhibition
This exhibition features work produced by participants in six weeks of workshops led by a professional artist, responding to SMHAF’s 2025 theme, Comfort & Disturb.
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Do Not Disturb!
Do Not Disturb! is a series of staged photographs created to tell the stories of those who have been, or still are, affected by poor mental health.
READ MOREScottish Mental Health Arts Festival
The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) is back from 20th October to 9th November 2025, exploring the theme of Comfort & Disturb.
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Time and Space: Comfort in Chaos
Time and Space presents a multi-media exhibition exploring Comfort & Disturb through the experiences of people who hear voices and/or self-harm.
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Young At Heart
These weekly one-hour workshops invite participants to explore movement and learn new dance moves in a fun, relaxed and social environment.
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Journaling for Mad Minds
This workshop celebrates a unique writing practice offering refuge, reflection and playtime to the busy mind.
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I Used to Be…
Textiles exhibition by Eilidh Manson featuring items that we expect to bring comfort, but, on closer inspection, are not what we expect them to be.
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Comfort & Disturb: Mental Health in Argyll
Join Jean's Bothy Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub for a panel discussion with people with lived experience, carers, politicians and officials.
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Gartnavel Royal Summer House Residency
Project Ability artists and inpatients from Gartnavel Royal Hospital reflect on ideas of comfort and disturbance in nature, with visits to the Gartnavel Summer House and gardens.
READ MOREInk & Insight
Join Lanarkshire Links for three member-led workshops exploring this year's theme, Comfort & Disturb. Make art using drawing, painting, and writing, share your ideas, and celebrate creativity with us!
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Neuro Art 2025: Art Exhibition
Create Paisley and Renfrewshire HSCP invite neurodivergent artists in Renfrewshire to take part in a vibrant art exhibition celebrating diverse perspectives.
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Creative Comfort Zones: Brave Spaces and the Edges of Ease
Bazooka Arts hosts a series of participatory workshops, performances and an exhibition, inviting participants to explore their comfort zones through therapeutic arts.
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Out of Sight Out of Mind: Launch
Join us at Summerhall to celebrate the launch of Out of Sight Out of Mind, featuring artworks made by 400 people with experience of mental health issues.
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Paint With Wool
Needle felting invites focus and reflection, this four-week course offers you the chance to discover how learning to 'paint with wool' can help you nurture your mental wellbeing.
READ MOREOut of Sight Out of Mind Exhibition
The biggest mental health art exhibition in Scotland in it's 13th year will present artworks made by 400 people.
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Chance2Change: Health n Equality
Celebrate creativity and community with Chance2Change, as we present spoken word films, powerful art, and excerpts from our collaborative novel.
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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Stress But Were Too Afraid to Ask
Therapeutic comedy with Raymond Mearns and special guests exploring the 14 signs of stress, what it looks like, and how to manage it.
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Get Your Groove On with The Buddy Beat
Feel good through rhythm! Join our free drumming taster sessions - easy, uplifting, and great for wellbeing. Includes tea, coffee, and biscuits.
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Are You Sitting Comfortably?
Are You Sitting Comfortably? is a one-day programme showcasing new mental health themed theatre, plus creative conversations, installations and more.
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Geostories
Discover how geo-stories can be a powerful tool for voicing lived experiences of mental ill-health and experiment with writing your own.
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Seanachaidh - A Storytelling Ceilidh
A traditional ceilidh offering space for storytelling, connection, and emotional expression, exploring Comfort & Disturb through shared experience and maybe a little dancing.
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Participatory Arts & Mental Health Symposium
Explore the challenges, and rewards, involved in creating participatory arts projects that focus on mental health in this one day gathering.
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SMHAF x A Kick Up the Arts
Join BBC Broadcaster and A Kick Up The Arts host Nicola Meighan as she explores creativity and mental health with Emma Pollock, Jo Mango and Amy Duncan.
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Mad Culture
Join directors Julia Macintosh and Azra Khan at McDonald Road Library on 25th October as they introduce their work in the context of this year's festival theme.
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Voices: A Neurodivergent Open Mic
Join us at Slow Progress Coffee and Records for a laid-back open mic event for young people with neurodivergence to share songs, poetry and stories, and meet like-minded people.
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Drawn Together
A powerful exhibition of visual art by local people with lived experience of homelessness, sharing stories often overlooked.
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Changing the Narrative
Come along to Filmhouse on 26th October and watch short films created by people from a global majority background, people with experience of migration, and young parents.
READ MOREComfort & Disturb Songwriting and Film Project Showcase
This Comfort and Disturb project included songwriting and music performance workshops. The music was then recorded and films were made to accompany them by participants.
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Music in The Museum: Between the Notes with Karen MacIver
'Between the Notes' is a gentle invitation to pause, listen, experience and reflect. This special event marks the launch of a new artist-designed public piano for North Lanarkshire.
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Creating Space
Creating Space is a creative workshop supporting wellbeing, open to Health All Round participants in Edinburgh.
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Between Worlds and Memories - Birth, Death, and Resurrection by Tigo Ayres
Between Worlds and Memories: Birth, Death, and Resurrection is an immersive exhibition-performance by Brazilian-British artist, performer, and psychologist Tigo Ayres.
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Extreme Ancestry
Martin Stepek shares powerful stories from his Polish and Irish heritage, including readings from his memoir about his father's astonishing and tragic journey to Scotland.
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The Power of Place
Join artist Ian Macintosh as he delves into place as a compelling subject, exploring how our surroundings have the power to comfort or disturb.
READ MOREThe Friendship Bench Documentary
Documentary screening about The Friendship Bench, an initiative to address Zimbabwe's growing mental health crisis, hosted by University of Glasgow's School of Health & Wellbeing.
READ MORENever Give Up
Headliner JustKate shares her journey of survival and transformation, shaped by her experiences with the Scottish care system, through spoken word, piano, and soulful singing.
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Liminal Exhibition
Liminal is a collaborative exhibition developed by young people working with the Mental Health Foundation, Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and artist Louise Fraser!
READ MOREMore Festivals in Renfrewshire
Paisley Book Festival
Paisley Book Festival ,
Paisley
Paisley Book Festival, which is delivered by OneRen and held annually in April, brings some of the best writers to Paisley for discussions and events!
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All Festivals listings in Renfrewshire
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Paisley Book Festival
Paisley Book Festival, which is delivered by OneRen and held annually in April, brings some of the best writers to Paisley for discussions and events!
READ MORE
Sponsored Links
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