Mental Health
Awareness & management
We all have mental health. Many people have mental illness at some point in their life. Mental health issues such as depression and bipolar disorder are a terrible thing if left untreated. I have struggled with depression at various points, and have family members with their own challenges. I have 2 friends who live with forms of psychosis / schizophrenia. Many of us have experienced the correlation between creativity & mental health.
A number of famous musicians have died by suicide as a result of mental health issues. In late May 2019 tragedy struck in my own life when a friend & musician I used to play with between 2004-2012, died by suicide after struggling with bipolar disorder..
Cheeky aspires to raise awareness, approach and challenge any stigma, provide safe space(s) for people to share their challenges and provide resources to help artists, creatives, entrepreneurs & performers to manage their mental health.
- The Role of the Arts during the COVID-19 Pandemic (Arts Council England, PDF, Aug ’21)
- Mind responds to new NHS data on children & young peoples' mental health (Nov ’22)
- Nearly half of Brits experience mental health challenges at least once a week (Nov ’22)
Through our experience, we have come to recognise that there's often a correlation between creativity and mental health. As a society we need to create and maintain timely access to support for those who are struggling. Many of us express, share & work through our struggles through creative endeavours. We can come together and support struggling artists so that they thrive rather than survive. We are committed to active listening, advocating, educating, and supporting people through the arts. We remain focused on ensuring that help is at the ready for people struggling with their mental health.
What mental health resources are specifically aimed at performers?
Are artists talented and creative communicators because of trauma and difficulty in life?
Which mechanisms or processes or brains/minds do artists have to manage their mental health?
- Confronting Music’s Mental Health Crisis (Pitchfork, Dec '22)
As a society we need to create and maintain timely access to support for those who communicate life's stories through their own creativity. We can come together and support struggling artists so that they live rather than survive and keep entertaining & delighting everyone.
We aspire to provide spaces for people to share their challenges
We aim to raise awareness of and provide resources to manage mental health;.
We are committed to active listening, advocating, educating, and supporting people.
We recommend or provide help for people struggling with their mental health.
We want to approach and challenge any stigma attached to mental health
The arts industry
Opportunities
With campaigns such as #SaveOurVenues, and Own Our Venues, we need to encourage, enable & inspire collaboration, communication & community, provide relevant education and empower artists, creatives & performers in all fields as well as those in associated roles to continue to be active and to make money doing what they love.
- Brexit is “strangling the next generation of UK talent in the cradle” in returning summer of touring (NME, Aug ’22).
- ‘Brexit has been an unmitigated disaster for musicians. Touring in Europe is economically not viable; musicians have almost given up.’ @DeborahAnnetts (ISM)
- "Brexit has been a disaster for younger musicians” (Damon Albarn, May 2023)
Brexit, Covid, the cost of living crisis in the UK in 2022-23 have lead to many more people in the UK experiencing economic, social & mental health challenges. Artists, creatives & performers, like everyone else, need to be able to pay rents / mortgages, buy enough food to feed themselves & their families and maintain their wellbeing.
Cheeky Fest supports creative / performing artists; the Cheeky Foundation will provide funding to keep artists, creatives & performers alive & venues open through the pandemic and post-Covid. A number of groups and platforms / businesses are enabling, curating & promoting online / livestream events.
Artists have long struggled to access to affordable arts education / funding and suitable performance opportunities to keep them going; through social entrepreneurship, we can change that. In the future, Cheeky Space will be the physical home of all things Cheeky.
Join a human-focused social enterprise, apply your skills & develop your experience in the arts, business / startups, education, events/festivals, funding, digital marketing / social media, social enterprise, non-profits or legal, Please email rupert@cheekyfest.com and tell me about you.
With your help, CheekyFest will re-embolden the arts around the world!
