Teenagers create artwork to educate public about mental illness

Young people on an in-patient mental health unit have created compelling images based on their experiences.

The “Switch Off Your Brain” exhibition, now on display at Bury Art Gallery, was created by young people aged 13-18 on the Horizon Unit at Fairfield Hospital in Bury.

The unit provides treatment for a range of mental health problems, including depression, psychosis, eating disorders and self-harm.

The unit is part of Pennine CareNHS Foundation Trust’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and the images were created through group art sessions aimed at enabling expression, shared experiences and reflection.

The young people involved in the project, worked with Pennine Care divisional art therapist John Crossfield and therapy instructor Katherine Ashley on a range of projects using video, animation, text and images over a 12-month period.

John said: "The experience of navigating adolescence while coping with a mental health problem is explored in this series of compelling images created by a group of young people who wanted to express themselves, share their experience with others and have their voices heard.

“The powerful artwork serves to inform and educate staff, future service users and, through exhibitions like this, the general public.”

The work will be exhibited at Bury Art Gallery on Moss Street from July 12 to September 6. The gallery is open from Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 5pm and Saturdays from 10am to 4.30pm. Admission is free.

• The gallery is also host to Bury Hospice's annual Art Festival, which runs from 19 to 26 July.

The exhibition features work from more than 100 artists, in 2D and 3D. The art work is for sale, and the hospice will receive 30% commission on every piece sold.

The museum will open specially on Sunday (20 July) from 10am to 4pm as part of Bury Art Festival. It will also host a cake sale on Saturday (19 July), with all proceeds going to the hospice. Donations
welcome!

ENDS

Press release issued: 15 July 2014.