A creative call to action for the future of mental health in Europe.

Visit us from the 11th to the 15th December in Brussels

We are happy to invite you to the

Threads of Being: Mental Health and Community Arts

A creative call to action for the future of mental health in Europe.

from the 11th to the 15th of December at the Talk C.E.C (Créateur d’Expériences Culturelles), Chaussée de Wavre, 143 (Brussels).

Threads of Being will put community arts and mental health in the spotlight, celebrating the work being done across Europe in this field, examining its impact on individuals and societies, and asking what is the future for arts, culture, and mental health. By centring the work of people with lived experience of mental distress and their supporters, the festival and its visitors will take part in a conversation about art and mental health, and play a part in breaking the stigma which harms all of us

Join our special event: Towards Braver Spaces – guided meditation

Thursday, 12th of December at 12:30

As part of the Towards Braver Spaces collective, Tundé Adefioye leads a reflective guided meditation exploring identity, legacy, and connection. Beginning with a thought-provoking reading, this session invites participants to find stillness, connect with themselves, and reimagine their place within evolving societal power structures. Free entrance; all are welcome.

“Art can permeate the very deepest part of us, where no words exist.” – Eileen Miller

Our artistic jury

More than 80 works have been submitted from all over Europe. Meet the members of the independent jury who selected the 30 finalists displayed at the Talk C.E.C. from the 11th to the 15th of December.

  • Melis Ari-Gurhanli, Association and member services – Welfare activities and multiculturalism, Mieli Mental Health Finland
  • Kornelia Kiss, Head of Culture and Health, Culture Action Europe

  • Marina Mussapi, Strategy Manager, Moleskine Foundation

About Art and Mental Health

Arts and culture mediate the relationship between our inner and outer lives. They give us ways to express our inner thoughts and feelings, and to understand the world around us. Creative expression is one of the ways we can appreciate what connects us and what divides us, and provides a guide to the human experience.  

The link between arts and mental health has been well documented. Mental health and well-being are strongly rooted in the world around us and our place in it, and creative expression is one of the ways we can communicate and express our complex and intangible experiences.  

Young Europeans and artists are increasingly open about their experience of mental health and how it relates to their creative output. Yet talking about mental health is still stigmatised, and people who experience mental health issues are still discriminated against – this stigma and discrimination then adds to the burden of those already in distress. 

The Venue

TALK C.E.C is an independent space dedicated to cultural and artistic experiences in the heart of Brussels. Located in the former Demeuldre factory (a listed heritage site), on the border of the European and Matongé districts, we are a veritable laboratory for ideas and experimentation, bringing together art, science, history and contemporary issues. For TALK C.E.C, art has a real power to influence our perception of the world and increase our awareness of it. A genuine medium for reflection, art provides a means of communicating about contemporary social issues, enabling us to take action to change habits and behaviour. At TALK C.E.C., the spectator is the creator of his or her own experience, encouraging reflection, awareness and commitment.

Practical information

  • When: from the 11th to the 15th of December; Thu, Fri, Sun: from 12:00 to 17:00; Sat: from 12:00 to 18:00
  • Where: Talk C.E.C (Créateur d’Expériences Culturelles), Chaussée de Wavre 143, 1050 – Ixelles, Bruxelles
  • Price: the exhibition is free of charge; no reservation needed.
  • Contact: for more information, please contact a.latham@mentalhealtheurope.org

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