Mental health art exhibition to tour Bucks libraries
Art and photography created to increase awareness of mental healthin ordinary everyday life will form an exhibition touring towns across the county.
The tour, which runs in the lead-up to Mental Health Awareness Week (11-17 May), begins at Chesham Library on Saturday, before continuing to Buckingham, High Wycombe and Aylesbury.
The display pieces were submitted to the ‘This Moment’ competition organised by Buckinghamshire County Council and its partners. The competition was open to all adults and young people aged11 years and over, who have experienced or been touched by mental health in some way or other, whether directly or indirectly.
Tracey Ironmonger, Assistant Director of Public Health at Buckinghamshire County Council, said: “We’ve had a great response to the ‘This Moment’ art competition. We’ve received lots of amazing entries from across a range of ages and ability, but all of the pieces share the same theme of how living in ‘this moment’ can help people’s mental health and wellbeing.
“Good mental health is about feeling happy and contented, having a sense of purpose and control, enjoying relationships and having the resilience to bounce back from life’s various knocks. However, about a quarter of people experience some kind of mental health problem in any one year, such as depression and anxiety, yet only 75% of these people will seek or receive treatment.
“That is why the County Council and its partners are working to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing.”
The ‘This Moment’ theme relates to Mindfulness: a way of focusing on the present moment without dwelling in the past or worrying about the future. Mindfulness has been selected as the national theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, as it has been shown to be an effective way of increasing personal wellbeing and reducing stress, anxiety and depression.
“Producing art is an excellent way of being Mindful, as it requires close concentration and absorption in creative expression – which allows you to focus on the moment and put aside all the worries and concerns of daily life,” added Tracey Ironmonger.
Find out more about Mindfulness, go tohttp://bemindful.co.uk/
The?? exhibitions are being hosted by the County Council Library Service, and the tour dates are as follows:
- Chesham Library Saturday Sat 18 April – Sat 25 April (closed on Friday/Sun)
- Buckingham Library Tues 28 April – Sat 2 May
- High Wycombe Library Tues 5 May – Sat 9 May
- Aylesbury Library Tues 12 May – Tues 19 May (closed Sunday)
You can see some of the art works on the website of Bucks Mind, who are one of the partners in the This Moment art and exhibition project. Go to: http://www.bucksmind.org.uk/this-moment-art-competition/
The winner of the competition will be announced on May 11. To see the competition website, go to:
http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/healthy-living/mental-health/this-moment-art-competition/