Events
The 20th Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) is happening from 19 October to 8 November 2026, exploring the theme of Reflections.
There are over 180 events across Scotland, including film, theatre, music, visual arts, writing, comedy, creative workshops and community events.
Explore all our events below and search by date, location, artform, type or keyword. If you would prefer to read our digital brochure, you can download it here.
SMHAF Highland Exhibition
Come and see artwork created by individuals and groups from across the Highlands at this well-loved annual exhibition, curated by Creativity in Care, which celebrates the value of arts in mental health recovery and wellbeing. From self-expression to therapeutic processes, the work often moves, perturbs, motivates and delights our audiences.
Needle Felting Workshop
Using arts and creativity, this year’s festival is considering the theme of In/Visible, exploring which aspects of our mental health we keep hidden and which we feel able to share. By using the medium of needle felting, you can explore what this theme means to you as a carer.
Listening Ear Art Exhibition
An exhibition of art works by Caithness ART group, exploring the festival’s theme ‘In/Visible’. Every year Highland community groups join to support the festival ethos of promoting arts for mental wellbeing and reducing stigma associated with mental health.
Held on the High Wire – Lairg
A candid, spellbinding multimedia performance, telling the story of Jenny Q’s near-death experience, sepsis survival, and new life on metal legs. Balancing urgency, reflection, humour and wonder, the show merges Jenny’s raw, vulnerable memoir with Myshkin Warbler’s haunting Folk/Jazz music.
SMHAF Highland Short Film Programme
After the success of last year’s short film screening, SMHAF Highland will once again be showing a collection of short films made by people who engage with Mikeysline, Creativity in Care, Oxygen Works and the University of the Highlands and Islands. Films will explore various interpretations of the theme In/Visible.
Mixed Media Art Session – Thurso
Join Green Tree Arts for a relaxing creative session using natural and mixed media materials. Through conversation and art making together, we will explore this year’s festival theme of In/Visible, drawing inspiration from our spectacular natural world.
Held on the High Wire – Inverness
A candid, spellbinding multimedia performance, telling the story of Jenny Q’s near-death experience, sepsis survival, and new life on metal legs. Balancing urgency, reflection, humour and wonder, the show merges Jenny’s raw, vulnerable memoir with Myshkin Warbler’s haunting Folk/Jazz music.
Mixed Media Art Session – Inverness
Join Green Tree Arts for a relaxing creative session using natural and mixed media materials. Through conversation and art making together, we will explore this year’s festival theme of In/Visible, drawing inspiration from our spectacular natural world.
Nature Art and Hidden Potentials
Join Creativity in Care for a chat about the seed pods made by people from Evanton Wood Community about people’s inner potentials (our qualities, dreams and ambitions) along with some relaxing arts in nature.
Silent Men – Inverness
A special preview of award-winning documentary filmmaker Duncan Cowles’ new feature. Part therapy, part road trip, a deadpan filmmaker asks men how they show their emotions, to help him confront his own struggles with opening up to loved ones.
