BEDLAM: The Exhibition

A group show with compelling artworks and short films created by people in Birmingham and Solihull during their personal journeys with mental health. BEDLAM is an established Birmingham festival celebrating the arts, mental health and wellbeing, led by Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (BSMHFT), MAC, Birmingham Rep, Sampad and Red Earth Collective.

Through the workshops, the participants saw the power of coming together to create - something humans have done throughout history – but unfortunately for many of us, it is no longer part of our daily lives. The participants gave space to parts of them they had forgotten, pressed pause on the pressures of life for a few hours, and allowed their imaginations to lead. Their creativity sparked connection and conversation and in some cases led to new communities of mutual support.

Curated by Roma Piotrowska and Emily Churchill Zaraa.

With special thanks to The Grimmitt Trust in Memory of Marjorie Welch, MK Rose Charitable Trust, Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health Trust and Roughley Trust for their generous financial support of MAC's Creative Wellbeing Group for Women, featured within this exhibition. With thanks to Arts Council England, players of People's Postcode Lottery and Birmingham City Council for their support of this exhibition.

Cannon Hill Park Audio Walk
by MAC's Creative Wellbeing Group for Women

Join members of this group on a journey around Cannon Hill Park as they respond creatively to the park and its inhabitants. Listen in the gallery, or on your own device as you walk around the park. Explore the park trail here as you listen.

A collection of sounds, voices, experiments, play, recorded during workshops at MAC by The BEDLAM Women’s Creative Wellbeing Group.

Sound warning: Some tracks might be unexpectedly loud at times, and some tracks may distort.

Featured Artists

At MAC, artist Amelia Hawk led creative workshops for women on the theme of nature and healing. Exhibiting artists are Miriam Al-Omeri, Pauline Beard, Olivia Ensor, Alyshia Ford, Vinty Najran, Elizabeth Sharrod, Mary and other members of MAC's Creative Wellbeing Group for Women.

For Sampad, Nilupa Yasmin led a series of weaving and embroidery workshops at the Sparkhill Adult Education Centre. Artists Nessa Grimes, Maryam Wahid, Amerah Saleh and Haseebah Ali ran a range of creative wellbeing workshops at the Three Trees Community Centre in Chelmsley Wood.

The Rep’s Lightpost Theatre Company artists CJ Webley and Mathias André, with filmmaker Idriss Assoumanou, led film-making workshops at BSMHFT’s Northcroft site and Mind’s Beechcroft Hub.

Ronke, Call Me Unique and Sarah Westwood from The Red Earth Collective ran workshops at Ardenleigh Hospital. Greg Rogers, Nicky Reid and Dreadlock Alien ran workshops at Reaside Clinic.