This year SMHAF is partnering with Summerhall in Edinburgh for a three-week programme of theatre, music, exhibitions and more, to mark our 20th year.
Our Summerhall theatre programme includes the return to Scotland of Beth Wants the D, Beth May’s powerful solo show about living with bipolar disorder that won the 2025 Mental Health Foundation Fringe Award at the Edinburgh Fringe, and The Rhinestone Cowboy, a “blistering trip from Auld Reekie to the Land of fire and Ice” written and performed by Leith-based poet Hjarta and exploring schizophrenia. And on 30 October we present a double bill of performances by two of Scotland’s most exciting young theatre-makers: Parasocial Activity by Briony Martha and Almond by Milly Sweeney.
On Thu 22 Oct, singer-songwriter Jo Mango will launch her SMHAF artist commission, a collection of new songs exploring the impact of trauma, with a special live performance.
The EP launch will coincide with Reflect, Reclaim, Reimagine, an exhibition featuring visual artworks by our other commissioned artists, and the welcome return of the group exhibition Out of Sight Out of Mind, a vital part of the SMHAF programme for over a decade.
Alongside these events there will also be a programme of youth engagement supported by the Corra Foundation.
Programme Line-Up
Reflect, Reclaim, Reimagine
An exhibition showcasing visual artworks by five artists commissioned to create new work in response to our 20th year theme Reflections. Working across textiles, mixed media collage, painting, photography and sculpture, Kelly Zou, Mairi Timoney, Nat Ophelia Walpole, Steven Jones and Jasmine Esme reflect on how themes including identity, motherhood, bullying and trauma have shaped their mental health.
Artwork by Kelly Zou
Jo Mango EP Launch
Glasgow-based multi- instrumentalist and singer/songwriter Jo Mango will debut songs from an exciting new EP, commissioned for the 2026 Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival and inspired by Nabokov’s imagery. The SMHAF-commissioned songs, showcased tonight, will explore how past trauma impedes on our image of the future, the past and our current selves.
Young People’s Gathering with Milly Sweeney & Briony Martha
What does it mean to be young in Scotland today? We present an exclusive double bill from two of Scotland’s most exciting young theatre-makers, Milly Sweeney and Briony Martha. Their shows, Almond and Parasocial Activity, both address the dangers of growing up in a society that is constantly online, from unhealthy relationships with AI chatbots to discussion groups that encourage eating disorders.
Image by Ingrid Mur
Beth Wants the D
Winner of the Mental Health Foundation Fringe Award at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe, Beth Wants the D is a candid and very funny autobiographical comedy about living with bipolar disorder, written and performed by Beth May.
The show is returning to Scotland as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival’s Summerhall programme. This performance will be followed by a Q&A with the creative team.
The Rhinestone Cowboy
The Rhinestone Cowboy is a darkly humorous, raw, and emotive one-woman play written and performed by Edinburgh-based poet Hjarta and co-produced with audiovisual artist Harry Bongo.
Based on a true story and written by a real-life mother and son duo, this high-octane production maps a young man’s tumultuous journey from Scotland to Iceland. Pulsating sound design fused with bold visual projections provide a visceral backdrop to a blistering trip from one emotional landscape to another.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Come and see the 14th Out of Sight Out of Mind, a one-of-a-kind exhibition presenting hundreds of artworks made by people with experience of mental health issues.
This year’s exhibition is focused in one gallery and organised by and for people with experience of mental health issues. A day of events, an afternoon tea, and the slow release of hundreds of artworks will extend its reach.
Out of Sight Out of Mind is a CAPS Independent Advocacy project. The exhibition has been funded with thanks to players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, the City of Edinburgh Local Events Open Fund and the many people who donated via a crowdfunder campaign.
