Love Arts festival celebrating mental well-being in October

Mental well-being arts festival to take over Leeds

The annual Love Arts Festival is taking over Leeds City Centre for 10 days in October.

Over 100 artists will be celebrating wellbeing and mental health in a truly diverse range of venues from Leeds City Museum to St Johns Centre, from The Tetley to Brewdog.

Now in its eighth year, the festival has gone from strength to strength. It now includes exhibitions, workshops, gigs, drama, and films that help people connect with the vibrant cultural life of Leeds. It is all to raise the profile of mental health issues in the area. Find out more in this short video . . .

But what are mental health issues? What is ‘well-being?’ What defines ‘normal’? In today’s diverse society, there is no such thing as normal. We all have our idiosyncrasies and that’s what makes us human, so please, join us, in this city-wide celebration that takes a healthy look at mental health. It’s positive, perky and proud. Think Leeds, with glitter!

According to the World Health Organisation, 1 in 4 people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives (450 million worldwide). With the Leeds population now approaching 800,000 (from 140 ethnic groups) there has never been a better time to raise the profile of these life-changing issues – but this is not just a festival about mental health, it is about the well-being of all.

The public launch takes place at 4pm at St Johns Centre in Leeds. As well as the festival organisers and NHS staff and service users, there will be various undiscovered artists, an exhibition, ‘pop up’ music and creative workshops. Come and find out more about this remarkable festival, pick up a programme and other Love Arts goodies.

Linda Boyles, Arts & Minds Network Development Manager & Love Arts Festival Curator, said:  “We never imagined when we started the festival eight years ago, that it would grow to be such a well-loved and anticipated feature of Leeds cultural calendar.

“Love Arts has helped chip away at the stigma of mental illness, by showcasing a wealth of undiscovered talent, and demonstrating how creativity can help people recover.

“We are thrilled to be celebrating the festival’s eighth anniversary, and are looking forward to the people of Leeds joining with us to celebrate!”

For more on Love Arts Leeds and to see the full programme visit www.loveartsleeds.co.uk.

Arts & Minds Network

The Arts & Minds Network is a partnership project supported by Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust along with a range of partners from the arts, mental health, community, education, and business sectors. Visit www.artsandmindsnetwork.org.uk