A FESTIVAL in Basingstoke focussing on mental health saw its largest ever audience attend last weekend.
The All in the Mind Festival, in Glebe Gardens, saw around 5,000 people attend on Saturday, September 10.
Festival-goers of all ages enjoyed 40 performances and actitives - spanning dance, spoken word and poetry, theatre, comedy and crafts - all aimed at promoting the power of the arts to boost mental health.
Following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth on Thursday, September 8 – just two days before the event – organisers Basingstoke-based charity, Fluid Motion Theatre Company, had questioned whether the free festival should take place.
However, after careful consideration, they decided that going ahead was the right decision.
Artistic director Leigh Johnstone said: “We thought long and hard about whether All in the Mind Festival should go ahead as planned.
“We felt that it was important to stay true to what the event is for: its very ethos is about coming together, confronting our mental health and life’s difficulties, and exploring ways to express those feelings and, ultimately, feel better.”
Attendees were invited to share tributes and messages in memory of Her Majesty on a large chalkboard at the festival.
This year’s All in the Mind closed with a festival parade through the town centre, led by Daniel, a nine-foot-tall puppet from Luke Brown Dance Company and ending with a dance performance outside The Anvil.
Michael Cunningham from Ludgershall, Wiltshire, who attended the festival with his fiancé and children aged three and six, said: “We really enjoyed ourselves. There were plenty of things for the kids to do and it was great to see a festival dedicated to mental health.”
Anna Shiels travelled from Bournemouth and said: “What a lovely festival!
“It brought wellbeing, mental health and the arts together in such a thoughtful and enjoyable way.”
Fluid Motion Theatre Company is now focusing on next year’s All in the Mind Festival and are inviting feedback from those who attended on Saturday to help shape plans for 2023’s event.
If you went along, you can take part in their research survey at bit.my/AITM22survey.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here