What's On | Northern Ireland Mental Health Arts Festival

OUR FABULOUS EVENTS WERE UNVEILED DURING THE 2020 VIRTUAL FESTIVAL AND REMAIN ONLINE FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT. DIVE IN...

Throughout

James Ashe: ‘Distant But Together

This illustration is a reminder to keep in touch with friends and loved ones during periods of difficulty and poor mental health

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Throughout

Brain Injury Matters: 'Displaced' Exhibition

A photographic exploration of displacement by a group pf individuals who all have an acquired brain injury.

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Throughout

The Strand

Movie Picks

Ongoing throughout the festival

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Throughout

Jim Lavery:

Make Comics

Comic book Artist, Jim Lavery, has created this image that you can print out and add your own artistic flair to! Show us your results!

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Throughout

Electra Reads:

Isolation Poetry Call

Drag Queen sensation, Electra, reads selected submissions from the poetry open call on the theme of ‘isolation’.

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Throughout

Dr Helen Sharp: 'Holism'

In this specially commissioned diptych and correlating written work from Dr Helen Sharp she explores her journey to wellness.

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Monday 18 May

Fears 'Two_'

Premiere

In this specially commissioned track and video for NIMHAF, Irish born musician ‘Fears’ reflects on her mental health journey over the past two years, from hospitalisation to healing.

11am

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Monday 18 May

Big Sing for

Wellness

NIMHAF invites you to take on the challenge of joining with others from across the country to learn a simple song a day from the comfort of your own homes.

3.30pm

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Monday 18 May

John Patrick Higgins & Triona Doyle:'All Within'

In this specially commissioned piece for NIMHAF, we have paired up writer John Patrick Higgins and Artist Triona Doyle to create a piece on ‘grief in the time of social distancing’.

5pm

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Monday 18 May

Grace Fairley: Submerged Premiere

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Commissioned specially for NIMHAF, ‘Submerged’ is a short animation highlighting the feeling of being absent from your body.

6pm

Monday 18 May

Denis Jackson Wade Yoga for Mental Health

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Join us for an hour of yoga for wellness with Denis Jackson Wade

7pm

Throughout

Open Call Exhibition 'Identity'

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Online throughout festival

Tuesday 19 May

The Movement Collective: 'What Are My Feet Doing?' Premiere

‘What are my feet doing?’ is a mix of stop motion, illustration and movement. A short film exploring mindfulness and the body, and the importance of breathing when it comes to moments of panic and anxiety.

11am

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Tuesday 19 May

Mandala

for

Mental Health

In this workshop, participants will learn the mindfulness practice of creating mandalas.

12pm

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Tuesday 19 May

'The Yellow Wallpaper': A Conversation on Perinatal Depression with Cheryl Gault

In this podcast Gault will be talking about her experience with Perinatal Depression, from the trauma of childbirth to the lack of support services available.

5pm

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Tuesday 19 May

Gemma Hutton: Q&A

Facebook Live

In this live chat, Hutton will talk about how they use comedy as a way of therapeutic expression.

7pm

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Throughout

Sinead Gormley: 'Lady In The

Fuchsia Skirt'

Blog by Ulster University Masters student, Sinead Gormley.

Online throughout the festival

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Wednesday 20 May

Jennifer Meighan & Bassam Al-Sabah Premiere

Exploring themes of loss, nostalgia, isolation, and the Internet- this animated essay is part of an ongoing conversation between the two Artists.

11am

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Wednesday 20 May

Beyond Skin: Decompress Stress

In this pre-recorded workshop for NI Mental Health Arts Fest, Dr Janelle Jukin will take us through a Music Therapy approach to Mindfulness.

12pm

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Wednesday 20 May

Kathryn McGrane:

'Ballymacdermot Mountain' Premiere

Time-lapse video of the Artist creating an illustrative piece of Ballymacdermot Mountain, which can be seen from the window of her family home in Newry, Northern Ireland

5pm

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Wednesday 20 May

Brainwaves: 'I Take a Journey' Film Premiere

A haunting and emotional video which inspires hope through the transformative and cathartic power of art.

7pm

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Thursday 21 May

Jonathan Brennan: 'Mamalujo' Premiere

In this short video piece, specially commissioned for NIMHAF, Artist Jonathan Brennan looks at a family in isolation.

11am

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Thursday 21 May

Dr Robin Price:

'The Bay'

In this specially commissioned ‘brutalist web page filled with animated gifs’, Dr Robin Price speaks to how he manages his Mental Health.

12pm

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Thursday 21 May

Philip Quinn: 'I, Me, Mine' Premiere

Using first person singular pronouns, his voice and audio technology, Quinn weaves an aural patchwork suggesting circular thought processes within a clouding of consciousness.

5pm

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Thursday 21 May

Helen Sloan Q&A: Facebook Live

In this Live Q&A for NIMHAF, Games of Throne photographer Sloan invites the viewers to ask her about her work, her life and her lived experience with Mental Health.

7pm

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Friday 22 May

Elly Makem: 'Just Do It' Premiere

In these specially commissioned illustrated Digital Comics, Makem addresses the weight of having difficult conversations with family and issues faced within the male gaze.

11am

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Friday 22 May

Inspire 'The Craving Mind': A Compassionate Conversation

Drawing on personal and professional experiences this disembodied, but compassionate conversation will explore the craving mind which compels us to repeat negative reactive thought, behavioural and relationship patterns.

7pm

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Friday 22 May

Ellen & Edie Present: Burlesque Extravaganza

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Ellen & Edie use the medium of Burlesque to create a show that not only works as a focus for the performers but also allows the audience to escape and enjoy.

This content may be deemed unsuitable for young viewers. Viewers' discretion advised.

8pm

Saturday 23 May

NIMHAF's A Big Sing for Wellness

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The final meet-up of the NIMHAF choir. Your mics will be muted so the only people who will hear you will be those in your house, the cat and maybe the neighbours... but you can just invite them to join in too!

11am

Emily Kane Workshop Holding page.JPG.jpg

Saturday 23 May

Emily Kane: Natural Dying Workshop

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A tutorial on natural fabric/yarn dying with Textile Artist Emily Kane.

3.30pm

Saturday 23 May

Richard Bailie & Charly Sproule: ‘Contingency!’

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Contingency! is an online magazine show for artists, creatives and anyone else still holding out hope for creative fulfilment.

5pm

Saturday 23 May

Paul Currie: Turbo Hallion

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Join us on Instagram for comedian Paul Currie’s Instagram Takeover! Culminating in his show ‘Turbo Hallion’ at 8pm.

8pm

Saturday 23 May

Minds Party DJ Set: Facebook LIVE

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The MINDS DJs are having a party! MINDS, is an annual one-day event, which aims to raise funds and awareness for mental health charities in Northern Ireland, through the coming together of musicians and other creatives.

10pm

Sunday 24 March

Beyond Skin: 'Mind Harp' Workshop

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Developed by Mark Smulian and Stewart Redpath, The MindHarp™ enables anyone to engage actively in music.

11am

Sunday 24 March

E G Dunne & Friends: ‘Identity Special’

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E G and Friends ‘Identity Special’ will be a two hour broadcast on The 343 Radio, housed in Ireland’s only Queer and feminist Arts Space.

3.30pm

Sunday 24 March

Louise Parker: 'Mind on Body' Premiere

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Personal Space is a short radio play in monologue form that takes the audience into the world of Laura, a young woman who has just about managed to get off her settee.

5pm

Sunday 24 March

The Armagh Rhymers: 'Postcard Armagh' Premiere

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The Armagh Rhymers are one of the most celebrated traditional music and theatre ensembles on the Island of Ireland.

7pm