Flint & Pitch returns to the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival with a special showcase event on the theme of Beginnings. Hosted by spoken word artist Jenny Lindsay, head to the Bongo Club in Edinburgh on the evening of Saturday 26 May for a brilliant line-up of readings, poetry and music.

Catherine Simpson will read an extract from her new memoir When I Had a Little Sister: The Story of a Farming Family Who Never Spoke, a beautiful work examining the impact of the suicide of Catherine’s sister, as well as mental illness, loss and grief. Her debut novel Truestory, published in 2015, was inspired by the experience of raising her autistic daughter Nina, and together they will be performing uplifting pieces to raise awareness and acceptance about autism.

Following her writing and performance workshop for young people aged 16-25 earlier in the day, there will be a performance from internationally acclaimed spoken word artist Deanna Rodger, named as one of ELLE UK’s 30 inspirational women under 30. There will also be poetry from Edinburgh-based poet Kevin Mclean, who has won numerous accolades including StAnza’s Best Poem of the Fringe in 2015 and performed alongside some of the world’s top spoken word artists.

Writer Raymond Soltysek, winner of a Robert Louis Stevenson Award, will be sharing a specially commissioned creative non-fiction piece, touching on masculinity, silence and mental health. And there will be music from Rhona Macfarlane, with her personal, honest and intimate songs, and Edinburgh-based songwriter Craig Lithgow – a Flint & Pitch favourite and late addition to the bill – closing the show.

It promises to be a wonderful night as we approach the end of this year’s festival – so we hope to see you there! 

Flint & Pitch: Beginnings takes place from 7-10pm on Sat 26 May at the Bongo Club in Edinburgh. Tickets cost £8. Book at Eventbrite.