Arts & Mental Health
"On mindshare you will find artwork, short stories, poetry, photography, original music recordings, mini documentaries, digital stories and blogs submitted by people with lived experience of a mental health problem or illness, as well as their carers, sector workers and friends.
You will also find information from the sector both political and current, information on services and how to gain access to assistance for those in need."
Mental Health
"The Mental Health Coalition of South Australia is the peak body for the non-government mental health sector in South Australia."
The web site includes some important resources and links on the following topics:
Links and Helpful Contacts Mental Health Organisations (such as Beyond Blue) and peak bodies.
Need Help Now? (Emergency Contact Numbers)
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NGO's - Non Government Organisations (such as Life Beyond Barriers, Neami, Mind etc).
Many mental health NGO's value the role of arts within the work they do and therefore offer support through or support to access arts programs. For a full list of NGO's please click here to see MHCSA's NGO membership listing.
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Mental Health First Aid Training
Contact Relationships Australia for information and availability of this training. (see PDF flier below)
"MIFSA is a community based, not for profit organisation delivering a range of programs and services for people affected by mental illness, carers and the community."
MIFSA have a large range of fact sheets available. Topics include;
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Understanding the illnesses
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Information for family and friends or people with mental illness
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Frequently asked questions about Mental Illness
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Collaborating with Professionals
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Signs of mental illness and what to do
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What friends and family can do
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Effective communication
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Mental Illness and drugs and alcohol
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Mental Illness theory and models
Bringing it all Together: Guidelines for Arts and Mental Health Projects.
Link to PDF of Guidelines document on Country Arts SA website, viewable online.
South Australian Resources
South Australian Organisations
Arts Orgs
There's so much happening in Country Arts SA, that I tend to head to the bottom of the web page to navigate via the site map to where I want to go. A vital point of note is the value of discussing ideas with a Country Arts SA Arts and Cultural Development Officer. Please find Simone's contact details below. Country Arts Staff have a wealth of experience to share, even if you are not seeking funding support. If you are seeking funding it is an essential step before applying for a grant. They won't write a grant for you but they might provide valuable information that could make the different to your success.
Country Arts SA's web site links to Arts Organisations include some regional groups of note, they also have a variety of links to Other Funding Bodies, and they have an Artist Register - which is currently in development but is a space worth watching for both artists and people looking for artists to work with.
The role of the Arts and Mental Health Officer SA is outlined in the guidelines. This unique state wide position is held by Simone Gillam. Where your project has relevance to a mental health context it is vauluable to contact Simone and share you project concept or discuss posabilities and concerns you might want to explore.
A list of Simone's resources held at her Port Lincoln Office is attached below. You may find something of interest here. Should you wish to discuss these please contact Simone on (08) 8639 7907 or email simone.gillam@countryarts.org.au
Simone has generously made available here two editable documents for you to download and work with to suit your requirements:
Project Planning Template (pending attachment)
Project Planning Checklist (pending attachment)
This link takes you directly to the regional producers in SA. You might contact a producer for support in making a short piece or even to seek photography or video production training for people in your group. What a great resource! Consider producing a video, or photography as part of the evaluation / documentation of your project.
Open ABC runs a range of projects and recently launched a specifically mental health focussed project;
"Speak Your Mind" 14 June to 14 October 2014.
"Not normal is the new normal. Issues around mental health affect us all. Write a story about your own experience or someone you care about."
"Arts SA is the South Australian Government’s arts and cultural agency."
It hosts a wealth of useful links for artists, such as Arts Hub (where the articles we shared came from).
If you are looking for professional insurance for working with people on projects (Public Indemnity etc) then you will also find here CAN SA (Community Arts Network) - which offers a great insurance package for community work, or Guildhouse whose Insurance is tailored towards acredited artists - but covers some community work if the insurers are informed in advance. It's worth comparing the two for your needs if you are eligible for both.
A range of funding support can be applied for, and it is worth researching the relevant categories before planning an aplication. Often a track record of arts practice can be helpful. Larger projects with a number of partners will also be considered.
It might be of interest to note that people living with a mental health condition are eligible to apply for arts grant funding through the Richard Llewellyn Arts and Disability Program.
It is also worth noting Arts SA's following protocols where relevant:
Standard flier for Mental Health First Aid Training
From the Workshop - by request...
A hyperthetical budget for an arts project - intended as a guide for planning and costing your own project.