About the project

Arts As Advocacy supports people who have experience of mental health issues to use the arts as a vehicle for their voice through different projects and support. This includes the one-of-a-kind Out of Sight Out of Mind exhibition which shows artworks by hundreds of people with mental health issues and other projects led by groups and individuals.

Arts As Advocacy work, including Out of Sight Out of Mind exhibition are currently on hold while we work to secure long term funding. In the meantime, we’ve launched a GoFundMe campaign to help make the 14th Out of Sight Out of Mind exhibition happen this October.

You are also welcome to sign up to ‘get involved’ and receive updates about future possibilities and enjoy the OOSOOM website here.

Out of Sight Out of Mind Exhibition

Out of Sight Out of Mind (OOSOOM) is an annual exhibition that shows artworks made by people who have who have experience of mental health issues. It is also planned by people who have experience of mental health issues. It is a CAPS project, that takes place during October each year at Summerhall during the Scottish Mental Health Arts festival.

The exhibition is a platform for people to say what they want to say using their art. Artworks are in many different media and explore a wide range of themes. People take part for many different reasons, including, personal expression, to tell a story, to join with others, as part of an art practice, for therapeutic benefit, and for fun.

The first Out of Sight Out of Mind took place in 2013, and each one since has been unique, shaped by that year’s group of planners and exhibitors.

Submit your artwork 

Anyone who has experience of mental health issues can submit artwork to the exhibition, as an individual or as part of a group.

Help organise the exhibition

A Planning Group of people with their own experience of mental health issues direct and plan the exhibition supported by a worker at CAPS. This ensures that the voices and needs of the people who are exhibiting are centred. The group meet regularly throughout the year. Sometimes people focus on specific tasks like PR or curation, or the practical aspects of helping in October. CAPS worker facilitates meetings and undertaking certain tasks in the planning and organising.

Anyone with experience of mental health issues, an interest in art and lives local to Edinburgh and the Lothians, can join the Planning Group. You can expect an informal group who welcome people regardless of their previous arts experience.

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Photography on this page by Chris Scott and Ian Dodds.