The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival is programmed by people from all across Scotland. To celebrate this year’s ‘Connected’ theme, we want to spend the next few weeks introducing you to some of them. Today, we meet Matt Addicott, Programme Lead at Platform.

Where are you from and what do you do?

I work at Platform in Easterhouse and my job is to bring theatre and dance to the venue and deliver a year round programme of workshops and classes for people to get involved with

What does ‘Connected’, SMHAF’s theme this year, mean to you?

I associate it with a sense of belonging, trust and happiness

How long have you been putting on events at this festival, and what made you get involved?

I have been working at the venue for almost ten years and each year we have made some kind of contribution – I think! A desire to support positive mental health and well-being underpins and drives everything we do at the venue and getting involved with festival activity has always felt like a good match.

Can you give us an example – more than one if you like – of an event in your area that sums up the spirit of the festival?

For a number of years we ran an event called Headspace and I remember one year when community groups from across the city arrived at the venue to meet and exchange gifts. Some groups had made performances, some had written songs, others made T Shirts, cakes and plenty more besides – it was a hoot!

Who or what do you feel most connected to?

My partner.

What are you most looking forward to at this year’s festival?

I am biased but I’m really looking forward to hosting Holding it Together by Jassy Earl and Chloe Smith – we have been working with both to support the work for some time now and am delighted that audiences will have an opportunity to engage with the material during the festival this year.

Click here to find out more about Holding it Together. Click here to find out more about other events taking place in Glasgow during SMHAF 2019.