Brief for Support Artist

Arts in Mental Health Pilot Project

Brief for Support Artist

Background and Project

This is an artist led pilot project, supported by a collaborative partnership comprising of Joint Commissioning Team for Mental Health, Telford & Wrekin Community Mental Health Teams, Arts & Culture Team at Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire Arts Partnership.

The idea is to take forward the concept of Art in Health and Well Being by offering creative activity in the form of well supported creative workshops within a community setting, as a therapeutic focus and a means of aiding and sustaining mental health recovery. We want to provide an opportunity for people with mental health needs to access and participate in structured creative art workshops, which will be led by an established artist with the on-going support of experienced mental health workers.

The workshops would offer high quality intervention encompassing new thinking/practices for mental health recovery at its core objectives. This community based structured format would be supported by robust existing referral and risk management systems for people with mental health problems. This project aims to establish a good working partnership between mental health service providers and Arts & Culture Team

The Arts & Culture Team at Telford & Wrekin has many years experience of delivering arts projects to communities in priority wards and vulnerable or targeted groups and also aims to train and support emerging artists interested in working within community arts.

A project manager/lead artist has been appointed. The team is offering an opportunity for a support artist to work alongside the lead artist on this pilot project.


Project detail

The workshops will be coordinated by an established artist. The participants will be referred through the community mental health teams and their contacts. Criteria for referral will be as robust as possible with participants required to:
• Have a keen interest in the arts.
• Be committed to attending each weekly session

If appropriate completed artwork(s) may form an exhibition at the end of the pilot with participants taking part in curating the exhibition .


Person Specification

It is anticipated that the appointed person will have the following:
• A high level of personal skill in two-dimensional artwork.
• Experience of working with people in a way which enables them to reach their potential.
• Be willing to work as part of a team under the direction of the lead artist.
• A desire to develop skills and experience in community arts.

The contract will be for 8 weekly sessions of approximately 2.5 hours each, commencing end January 2008. The sessions will take place on a Wednesday between 12 noon and 3pm

The rate of pay will be £12 per hour.


How to apply
• A written response of no more than 2 sides of A4 outlining previous experience and why you are interested in this opportunity.
• CV

Please email helen.chesters@telford.gov.uk
01952 382367 / 07800 671712

Deadline for expressions of interest: Friday 11 January 2008

Informal interview of short listed artists: Wednesday 16 or Thursday 17 January 2008

The successful candidate will be subject to a Telford and Wrekin CRB check.