Arts and Mental Health Festival

Greek Carers Network Epioni in collaboration with the Municipality of Aegina and the Aegina Health Centre successfully organised the first multi-thematic festival entitled “Art and Mental Health” on the beautiful island of Aegina with free participation.
The festival contributed to raising public awareness of mental health issues and promoted the use of art as a therapeutic tool. Participants from Greece and abroad had the opportunity to attend sessions on visual art, music, and theatre and speeches from notable participants
The Festival took place in the framework of European Mental Health Week (22-28 May 2023) and was held under the auspices of the Region of Attica and the Hellenic Psychiatric Association.
This community action aimed to inform and educate the local community of Aegina on issues related to mental health. The focus was on art, which is a lever of expression for people facing mental health problems.
The Arts & Mental Health festival was attended by citizens, artists, mental health professionals from Greece and abroad, people with mental health problems and family carers.
The festival in Aegina provided an opportunity for stakeholders from Aegina, Athens and abroad to meet, exchange views, share experiences and inspire each other about the use of art in mental health.
The festival was held at the Aegina Historical and Folklore Museum.
The Festival had a European dimension as it was held in collaboration with mental health organisations from Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, Croatia, Italy and Denmark.
The “Arts and Mental Health” festival hosted workshops, talks, theatre performances by people with mental health problems, visual arts, photography and contemporary music performances from Aegina. The participating institutions were: PEPSAEE, Workshop, SOPSY Korydallos, EDRA, P.Sakellaropoulos Society of Social Psychiatry, obrela, Hellenic Alzheimer’s Society, Saronic Nephrological Center , EUFAMI and ANTAMA KOIN.S.EP
The two-day multidisciplinary festival was co-funded by the EU.