CAPS is delighted to share the good news that thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery the Out of Sight Out of Mind exhibition will go ahead as planned this October.
The exhibition is organised by the Out of Sight Out of Mind Planning Group who all have experience of mental health issues, as a Collective Advocacy project at CAPS. It has been running for 13 years on the principle of lifting up marginalised voices in Edinburgh.
Lauren Stonebanks, who has been an exhibitor and member of the Out of Sight Out of Mind Planning Group since the exhibition’s beginnings welcomes the award:
“I was devastated when I learnt our funders, the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, were cancelling our Arts As Advocacy funding in a way that meant Scotland’s largest mental health art exhibition, Out of Sight Out of Mind, couldn’t go ahead. Working alongside many other volunteers, I’d spent months helping plan our exhibition whilst also creating my own artwork for it. I feared it had all been for nothing but then a glimmer of hope appeared in the form of The Postcode Trust. They have awarded us funding enabling the 13th Out of Sight Out of Mind to go ahead as planned at Summerhall in October and November. As one of the founders of this exhibition, and, as one of the 400 exhibitors I am eternally grateful to them for this. Thank you Postcode Trust! You’ve saved our exhibition!”
Out of Sight Out of Mind is Scotland’s largest mental health art exhibition, and this year will be the biggest yet with 400 people with mental health issues showing artworks, occupying almost all the galleries at Summerhall. It proudly joins the other events in the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival programme.
As usual it expects to draw 2000 visitors who can expect to see artworks in many different media, including paintings, drawings, prints, films, sound works, and sculptures. Some of this year’s exhibitors will explore the festival theme of comfort and disturb. Artworks will range from beautiful, political, raw, joyful and anything in-between.
Visitors often report a feeling of recognition and the way that seeing others’ artworks helps them to make sense of their own experiences and feel that they’re not alone.
From audience members:
“It made me realise how many of us human beings have mental health challenges as part of us. It helped me feel more at home in the world.”
“I could connect with a lot of the exhibitions as I have and am still on my own journey. It is nice to see the creative side of mental health and what can be achieved. Day at a time. Baby steps.”
Visitors at the launch of the 2024 exhibition – photo by Chris Scott
For the exhibitors it can be a way to express themselves or explore their creativity, or to be seen in a community of others who have also experienced mental health issues. Many exhibitors take part through community mental health projects, and this year there will be 19 such projects involved. Edinburgh Headway Group, said:
“The work that ‘Out of Sight Out of Mind’ does to highlight the importance of mental health has been invaluable to our community. Many of our members face significant mental health challenges, and having safe, open spaces to talk about these issues and see or hear from others with shared experiences is profoundly beneficial. By raising awareness and increasing visibility around mental wellbeing, the project helps ensure our members feel less isolated and more understood.”
The exhibition in October and November, will see the result of everyone’s efforts, including the exhibitors, the Planning Group, volunteers, partners, and community projects. They all look forward to welcoming the exhibition visitors who bring celebration, support, and even more meaning.
Lauren Stonebanks
Out of Sight Out of Mind launches on Tuesday 21 October, 6-8pm (booking required) and is open Wednesday to Sunday, 22 October to 9 November, 11am – 6pm at Summerhall in Edinburgh. More information: www.outofsightoutofmind.scot
In addition, the award will mean that Collective Advocacy work with the Minority Ethnic community and with people who identify as LGBTQIA+ will continue until 31st March 2026. People from marginalised communities face extra challenges with their mental health due to discrimination. Collective Advocacy provides the means for people to improve their own mental health. But it also helps others by educating mental health staff, policy makers and the wider community on the needs of marginalised communities.
