Lunatic Fringe Project
In 2018 we were funded by the Wellcome Trust to:
- Involve people who experience mental distress in researching the causes & effects of their distress, & in implementing recommendations arising from the research
- Lobby policy-makers nationally & locally, & work creatively in diverse partnerships to bring about practical, cost-effective & sustainable change
- Work with a range of Liverpool festivals over 12 months, engaging creatively with diverse communities & using these opportunities to gain expert knowledge about their mental health experiences/support needs. Then, to use this learning to work with communities/partners to design practical responses, tailored to community need.
Festivals & groups that we worked with included:
- Africa Oye & Mary Seacole House
- Beat It! (Katumba)
- DaDaFest
- Healthy Souls Social
- Liverpool Irish Festival & Irish Community Care Merseyside
- Liverpool Pride
- Milapfest
- Sahir House Women’s Group
- WoWFEST
You can find full details of all our activities here: Lunatic Fringe Project 2018 – Public Engagement Report (FINAL PDF, Dec 2018)
Alongside the events & activities, we also carried out some research with communities. Supported by academics from a range of disciplines, we wanted to look more widely at the concept of wellbeing- both with the wider public & in specific communities. We were interested in what people perceived to be the main factors affecting wellbeing, their coping strategies, & the role of the arts & community in their lives. Throughout the year, 502 people responded to our Wellbeing Survey via an online questionnaire, focus groups, & whiteboards & graffiti walls at festivals & events. Here are people’s suggestions for improving wellbeing:
You can find the full Wellbeing Report here: Lunatic Fringe Project 2018 – Wellbeing Research Report (PDF)