THE Mental Health Music and Arts Festival took place at Kiln Theatre in Kilburn on Tuesday, October 13, where Irish performers and community groups celebrated the arts.
The event had singers, musicians, poets and artists celebrating the role of the arts in supporting mental health and bringing people together, and was organised by the Irish charity Ashford Place.
Opening the festival, Ashford Place CEO Renee Gallagher said, "The arts should stand side by side with traditional mental health support."
The event was hosted by MC Michael O’Hare and featured a range of performances, with many on the stage sharing personal experiences of their own struggles with their mental health over the years.
CEO Renee Gallagher giving her opening remarks (Photo by Mark Murphy)Marie McCrohan, Irish Elders Project Lead and Centre Manager at Ashford Place, said the festival had become a regular event, with Tuesday’s gathering marking the third time it had been held this year.
McCrohan said that many of those taking part were members of groups already connected to the charity, including her Singing for Wellbeing group, which meets every Wednesday, the charity’s dementia choir and its guitar group, Strung Out.
“There’s also a lot of practice that goes into the performance; my group have been practising for about two months now,” she said.
“My group is singing for mental health and wellbeing. It’s not about how good you sing; anyone is welcome. It’s just about enjoying yourself and letting go,” she said.
Ashford Place receives funding from the Irish Government through the Irish Emigrant Support Programme, with most of its work aimed at supporting the Irish diaspora in London.
Michael O'Hare and Patsy Davis performing Spancil Hill during the arts festival (Photo by Mark Murphy)The festival opened with Patsy Davis, originally from County Clare, who performed the Irish songs 'Spancil Hill’ and ‘Red Is the Rose’.
Davis is also a member of the Irish Pensioners Choir and received a loud round of applause when he finished up.
Belfast-born singer Winnie Ama followed with a set of original songs, including Daisies and Fever.
Ama appeared in a small role as a jazz-singing alien in the Supergirl film from earlier this year and was previously announced as a BBC rising star.
Ama’s set was struck by technical difficulties, forcing her to stop and start a few times, before MC Michael O’Hare stepped in with his guitar saving the day, and they performed an acoustic version of ‘Amazing Grace’, with many in the crowd, including myself, joining in.
Next up was Ronald Ferguson, who delivered a moving poem about life and perseverance while sharing his own past mental health struggles and the importance of spending time in nature and maintaining friendships.
Poet and mental health advocate Ronald Ferguson delivering his poem (Photo by Mark Murphy)Members of the Learning Through the Arts group presented a colourful quilt made up of individual squares, each with its own distinctive artwork.
Music and personal storytelling came together again during a performance by Paul, originally from Cork, who has lived in London since the 1980s.
Playing the saxophone, Paul spoke about discovering at the age of 11 that he had been adopted at birth.
He described the profound feelings of rejection and distrust that followed and the mental health difficulties he experienced throughout his life, while also sharing stories about busking in the London Underground for over 30 years.
He ended his performance by playing the theme from The Pink Panther before revealing a pink tail hidden inside his jacket.
The festival showed how music and art can bring people together, help them express themselves and support their mental health.
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See More: Art, Ashford Place, Irish Charity, London, Mental Health
