“Life is more than just having a mental health label. Participants are treated as creative people rather than someone with a mental health problem.”
Open Arts is a community arts and mental health programme, which helps to manage mental health and wellbeing through creativity.
It is managed within the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust Charity Fund and runs courses, workshops and events. These are led by professional artists and supported by volunteers.
Open Arts supports people with their recovery and develops their confidence, self-esteem and self-identity. It also helps them feel part of their wider community.
Manager Jo Keay has been involved in Open Arts since it began 15 years ago.
“Open Arts is a big part of my life,” she said.
“We regularly receive positive feedback from clients after each session.
“It’s very much about being in the community and reducing stigma attached to mental health. It works for so many people.
“Every time we have a course, we notice the differences in participants week to week.
“It’s a huge step coming to a group where they don’t know anybody.
“For many, they don’t leave the house apart from coming to Open Arts or a medical appointment.
“The focus is always on the activity rather than the mental health problem. “Open Arts focusses on the creative and play side of activity and giving them a couple of hours each week to themselves.”
Open Arts also offers people a supportive social network and many stay on to volunteer to help with running arts sessions, or take part in more courses.
Jo said: “Life is more than just having a mental health label, and participants are treated as creative people rather than someone with a mental health problem.
“It’s about giving people a sense of identity, when you’re in the depths of depression, everything is so dark. Open Arts helps to bring the colour back.”
The programme offers a 12-week course in visual arts. These are led by local professional artists, supported by volunteers, and cover a wide range of art mediums.
At the end, participants are offered a six month placement to develop their art making and work on their own projects.
There are also opportunities to display their work at local art trails, galleries and open events at the Art House studio, which is part of Hadleigh Old Fire Station in Hadleigh, Essex.
There are 35 people taking part in the 12 week courses currently running in Southend and Brentwood, and another 35 who attend the Art House each week.
Artist and teacher Paul Alcock has many years’ experience of working with people with mental health difficulties, so was keen to be involved in Open Arts.
He has been running classes since it began and enjoys working with a wide variety of people and seeing the therapeutic benefits of art.
Paul said: “It’s been really nice because within just 12 weeks friendships are generated and it is a nice, safe environment for people to experiment with art, learn and socialise.m
“Open Arts feels like a therapeutic and safe environment and I think what’s been really nice is that sense of generating community and mutual support.”
He said a number of students have gone on to study for degrees and others who have become dedicated artists and also been involved in art projects in the wider community, such as painting murals on the seawalls at Canvey.
“I have definitely seen people get a strong sense of fulfilment from the course,” said Paul.
