On 23 and 24 October, SMHAF takes up residence at Civic House in Glasgow for a two day programme of powerful live performance and insightful conversation exploring creativity and mental health.

Our Civic House programme is in three distinct sections. All are separately ticketed. You can either choose the one that most closely reflects your interests or even join us for all three.

Are You Sitting Comfortably?
(a SMHAF theatre showcase)

Thu 23 Oct, 11am – 5.30pm
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For years now SMHAF has been showcasing bold new theatre work by writers and performers who are exploring mental health. This year we present a full day of new work and works in progress, each one followed by a conversation about the issues raised in the performance.

And those issues – in keeping with our festival theme – will disturb the status quo and pose challenging questions. Ese Ighorae will share a dark comedy work-in-progress play exploring the experiences of dark-skinned Black women navigating institutional racism in the arts sector and the profound toll this takes on their mental health. Milly Sweeney will debut a new perforrmance about the complexities of eating disorders and diet culture, and the dangers of online communities. Emma Lynne Harley will present a work in progress sharing of a new piece about coercive control and surviving an abusive relationship. And to start the day, Skye Loneragan will share a comic, playful exploration of coping strategies. Join us for a Fringe-style mini-festival also featuring artist Kanae Park’s Obsessive Confectionery Delights, on show throughout the day.

SMHAF x A Kick Up the Arts

Thu 23 Oct, 7 – 9pm
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For our Thursday headline event, SMHAF teams up with Nicola Meighan’s A Kick up the Arts podcast for a special evening of conversation and music, bringing together three brilliant Scottish singer-songwriters whose work has explored various aspects of mental health.

Nicola, well known from BBC Radio Scotland and the annual Scottish Album of the Year Award, will bring together Emma Pollock, Jo Mango and Amy Duncan to share life experiences and music. Emma Pollock has a long relationship with SMHAF and was co-founder of the Fruit Tree Foundation, a music project in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation which raised awareness about mental health through live concerts and an album featuring Frightened Rabbit, Karine Polwart, James Yorkston and many more. Jo Mango has worked creatively with people living with various mental health diagnoses, as well as people who have experienced trauma as a result of the care system, and her new album The Lightswitch has a strong focus on mental health, exploring the ‘ghost voices’ of women who have left the music industry because of harassment, abuse or toxic environments. And Amy Duncan will soon release Greetings from Gartnavel, her third collaboration with lyricist David Paton – an album of songs shining a light on Paton’s experiences of schizophrenia.

Participatory Arts and Mental Health Symposium

Fri 24 Oct, 11am – 5pm
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What are the challenges, and rewards, of creating participatory arts projects that focus on mental health? Why is this work important and how should it be supported? 

For this one day gathering, SMHAF is inviting artists and organisations from across Scotland to share their experiences of working on projects funded by Creative Scotland and the Baring Foundation. 

We will explore subjects from social prescription to creative projects in hospitals, while inviting attendees to contribute to Mistress Pieces, an interactive artwork by artist Jen Hyatt (in the Project Space, just next door to the main venue). There’s also the chance to take home your own Befriendable Black Dogs, created by artist Luke ‘Luca’ Cockayne who will be sharing their work in the venue throughout the day. 

Join us for a day of lively discussion and learning, and add your voice to the conversation.

Join us for our celebration of creativity and mental health in communities across Scotland. We hope that this year’s programme will offer comfort to people and disturb the status quo. Explore the full programme and book your tickets at www.mhfestival.com/events.

SMHAF is led by the Mental Health Foundation and supported by Multi-Year Funding from Creative Scotland. SMHAF 2025 is also supported by Thrive Edinburgh, Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, the Baring Foundation, Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, and funded by Screen Scotland and National Lottery funding from the BFI, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow 850, and media partner The List.