World Mental Health Day (10 October) marked 35 years of Outlook, a City of Edinburgh Council service providing free adult education for people who access mental health services. The Celebrating Creativity Exhibition was launched that day at the Wee Museum of Memory at Ocean Terminal.
The launch event featured an excellent selection of music from Ralph and his colleagues from Om Music Sanctuary, a music charity based in the West End of Edinburgh. There were also a few short speeches (including one from me) about the importance of Outlook courses and how they help students to gain skills and self confidence. There was then time to browse all the artwork, chat with students and tutors and drink lots of tea.
I've delivered classes for Outlook for several years now, focusing on creative writing and nature studies. Specifically for this exhibition, I taught two creative writing courses, one focussing on students' memories of Edinburgh, the other using historical photos of Edinburgh (from the archives of The Living Memory Association) to inspire creative writing. I was very impressed by the stories the students wrote in these courses and am delighted with the way they are displayed as part of the wider exhibition.
As well as creative writing, the exhibition showcases Outlook students' creative work including pottery, collages, quilting and photography. Outlook is a really important service for people facing mental health issues, yet like many other similar services, constantly struggles to get adequate funding. This exhibition, as well as being enjoyable to visit in itself, makes a powerful argument for the importance of funding services like Outlook.
Celebrating Creativity, 10.30 - 4.30, 11th - 20th October at the Wee Museum of Memory, Exhibition Space 2, on the first floor of Ocean Terminal, next to a well known coffee outlet.
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