Theatre for Positive Mental Health
- Adela Vitkovska
- Nov 6, 2025
- 6 min read
Start date 01-11-2017–End date 31-10-2019
EU Grant–141.667,00 €
Programme–Erasmus+
Key Action:
Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices
Action Type:
Strategic Partnerships for adult education
Countries covered–4
Coordinator
SMASHING TIMES THEATRE COMPANY LIMITED
COLERAINE HOUSE COLERAINE STREET
7 DUBLIN
Dublin
🇮🇪 Ireland
Coordinator Type: Cultural operators
Phone: +35318656613
Summary
Theatre and Film for Positive Mental Health
Using creative processes of theatre and film to promote positive mental health and well-being
Theatre and Film for Positive Mental Health was a Europe-wide, transnational project using creative processes of theatre and film to promote positive mental health and well-being. The project brought together artists and educators to explore the use of creative processes to promote positive mental health and how to develop coping strategies for handling stress and anxiety. The project promotes collaborative exchange and mutual learning between five partner organizations, two from Ireland, and one each from Spain, Italy, and Latvia. The five partners are Smashing Times, Dublin, Ireland (lead partner); EURORESO, Naples, Italy, www.euroreso.eu; Biedriba Eurofortis, Riga, Latvia, www.eurofortis.lv; Fundacion Intras, Valladolid, Spain, www.intras.es; and Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, www.tcd.ie.
The five partner organisations all have a solid track record in the implementation of European educational training programmes. Two of the partner organisations, Smashing Times (lead partner), Dublin, Ireland, and INTRAS, Valladolid, Spain, have established successful educational projects that use creative and digital media processes to promote positive mental health and suicide prevention, working with the general public and with those experiencing mental health concerns. The five partner organisations came together in response to the Europe Mental Health Action Plan, 2013-2020, that states mental health concerns are one of the greatest public health challenges in the European Region and the project results in the creation of an e-book, video demonstration, drama workshop model and a short film titled The Big No, all using creative processes to promote positive mental health and well-being.
The project builds on the innovative and award-winning Acting for the Future arts and health project implemented by Smashing Times who were delighted to be involved in a new Europe-wide project as lead partner bringing together a range of European organizations to use creative processes to promote positive mental health and well-being.
Project activities were:
• Five transnational project partner meetings conducted, attended by all partner organisations
• 500 adult educators completed on-line questionnaire to identify needs of adult educators and teachers wishing to learn how to use drama and theatre games and exercises and filmed performances and post-show workshop discussions to promote positive mental health and coping strategies for stress and anxiety
• 500 adult learners completed on-questionnaire to identify their needs in relation to the use of creative processes to promote positive mental health and develop personal and social skills for promoting resilience and managing anxiety and stress
• National and International Research conducted across Europe from Ireland, Lativa, Spain and Italy and the research is displayed in an e-book providing information and case studies on the use of creative processes of theatre and film to promote positive mental health and coping strategies for stress and anxiety.
• Theatre and Film for Positive Mental Health E-book created and made available on-line and distributed widely (pdf, 54 pages A4), containing research and case studies in relation to using creative processes to promote positive mental health and well-being and guiding principles for adult educators using creative methods to work with adults on how to promote positive mental health, and coping strategies for stress and anxiety. A theatre workshop model accompanies the book using drama and theatre games to promote positive mental health and coping skills for handling stress and anxiety.
•Ten-minute Video demonstration created, made available on-line and distributed widely, showing how to conduct 5 games and exercises to promote positive mental health and coping strategies for dealing with stress and anxiety
• One short film created, promoting the use of storytelling as a means of promoting positive mental health. The Big No Blurb by Féilim James is directed by Mark Quinn. In the film , a young man tells the story of his psychological unravelling and subsequent mental health crisis. Told in the form of a voiceover monologue accompanied by compelling imagery, this poetic short film takes us on a journey of despair, introspection, and hope. As he battles against panic attacks and suicidal thoughts, he is forced to face the ‘why’ of his problems head on, learning some essential truths about himself and the world.
• Links made with 25 mental health support organisations and 30 education and training institutions
• 500 participants (adult educators and adult learners) attend events to ‘test’ E-book, Video Demonstration and film
• 300 participants attend the multiplier events
• Dissemination Activities reach 455,000
Total Numbers Reached: 824,019
Partners
BIEDRIBA EUROFORTIS 🇱🇻 Latvia
ANNINMUIZAS BULVARIS 38-37
1067 RIGA
🇱🇻 Latvia
Partner Type: Non-governmental organisation/association/social enterprise
Phone: +37127763451
EURORESO 🇮🇹 Italy
Via Tasso, 169
80127 Naples
Campania
🇮🇹 Italy
Partner Type: EU-wide network
Phone: +34629452614
FUNDACION INTRAS 🇪🇸 Spain
CALLE MARTIN SANTOS ROMERO, NUM. 1
47016 VALLADOLID
Castilla y León
🇪🇸 Spain
Partner Type: Foundation
Phone: +34983399633
THE PROVOST, FELLOWS, FOUNDATION SCHOLARS & THE OTHER MEMBERS OF BOARD OF THE COLLEGE OF THE HOLY & UNDIVIDED TRINITY OF QUEEN ELIZABETH NEAR DUBLIN 🇮🇪 Ireland
College Green
2 DUBLIN
Dublin
🇮🇪 Ireland
Partner Type: Higher education institution (tertiary level)
Phone: +35318963179
Results
Practical & reusable resources for the practitioners:
Drama Workshop Model
Description
This workshop has been designed to reduce stress and anxiety in a group of around 10 people without any specific prerequisite. There will be a single session lasting approximately 3 hours and the whole workshop will be divided into 4 part: introduction; creation/presentation of the puppets; planning/performing different scenes; feedback. The first part will serve as a preparation to make people know each other and introduce the methodology of the workshop through a fairy tale; the second one will be dedicated at the creation of the puppet and at a first attempt to transfer negative thoughts to this entity; the core of the workshop will be drama activity; the final part will consist in a feedback session that will be important to make participants reflect on the activities, recognize the results obtained, express their feelings (it will be useful to evaluate the workshop too).
Type
Handbook, Textbook
Contents
Drama Workshop Video
Description
This workshop has been designed to reduce stress and anxiety in a group of around 10 people without any specific prerequisite. There will be a single session lasting approximately 3 hours and the whole workshop will be divided into 4 part: introduction; creation/presentation of the puppets; planning/performing different scenes; feedback. The first part will serve as a preparation to make people know each other and introduce the methodology of the workshop through a fairy tale; the second one will be dedicated at the creation of the puppet and at a first attempt to transfer negative thoughts to this entity; the core of the workshop will be drama activity; the final part will consist in a feedback session that will be important to make participants reflect on the activities, recognize the results obtained, express their feelings (it will be useful to evaluate the workshop too).
File available on request - too large to attach
Type
Video
The Big No
Description
A young man tells the story of his psychological unravelling and subsequent mental health crisis. Told in the form of a voiceover monologue accompanied by compelling imagery, this poetic short film takes us on a journey of despair, introspection, and hope. As he battles against panic attacks and suicidal thoughts, he is forced to face the ‘why’ of his problems head on, learning some essential truths about himself and the world.
Type
Other: Script
Contents
Dissemination material:
Theatre for Positive Mental Health Research Book
Description
Smashing Times are delighted to be involved in Theatre and Film for Positive Mental Health, a programme promoting collaborative exchange and mutual learning between five partner organisations, two from Ireland, and one each from Spain, Italy, and Latvia. Theatre and Film for Positive Mental Health brings together artists and educators to explore the use of creative processes to promote positive mental health and well-being and coping strategies for dealing with stress and anxiety. The five partners are Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company, Dublin, Ireland (lead partner); EURORESO, Naples, Italy, www.euroreso.eu; Biedriba Eurofortis, Riga, Lativa, www.eurofortis.lv; Fundacion Intras, Valladolid, Spain, www.intras.es; and Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, www.tcd.ie .
Type
Description of the project (PPT, pdf, Prezi...)
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