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In Production
MadforArts
This project gave a voice to some of the most marginalised people in society through an online forum and national television.
Link: www.madforarts.org
An inspiring project that celebrates the personal responses to art by mental health users and survivors
- Two million people watched the MadforArt films on Five and the Community Channel with thousands more watching the films online
- "This is fantastic...a brilliant concept and a great way to legitimise mental health problems" - Amanda, a user of the site
- "Stunning insights into manic depression, self-harm, post-natal breakdown and even the hearing of voices" - Jon Snow, Evening Standard
MadforArts aimed to give a voice to some of the most marginalised people in society. It was the first time users and survivors of mental distress had been handed the microphone, digital camera and web space to be the leaders in a significant debate about the artistic world.
Twelve of the contributions to the website were made into short films, shown on both the Community Channel and the web. The best of these were shown on Five just before the main evening news.
Jon Snow, presenter of Channel 4 News, said: "They are sumptuously directed and it is great that such extraordinary material is making it into prime-time, mainstream TV five nights in a row."
Visit the MadforArts website to watch the films.
The project was supported by all of the major mental health charities, including Mind, Mental Health Media, SANE, Rethink and the Manic Depression Fellowship.
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Still from one of the films
Still from one of the films