Join us for the opening of the Balmy Army, part of Manchester International Festival 2023.
Over the last nine months more than 40 young people with mental health struggles from across Greater Manchester have been on a radical art, activism and mutual care journey. Responding to three questions ‘How were you supported in that past? How should you have be supported? How do we make that support you need real?’
The Balmy Army welcome you to their action lab at the gallery at HOME, a space to be brave and to try to feel safer. For two hours the Balmy Army will share the journey that they have been on. From performances, songs, videos and ‘checking in’ with each other. This two hour event will be a mixture of sharing their art, their process and how they want to begin the impossible task of making real something that has never existed, mental health support led by young people, for young people and fit for purpose.
The sharing event will be fragile, messy and brave, disabled and proud, mad and beautiful, sad and joyful. It will refuse to be how the art world and mental health system want us to be, it won’t be contained. It will be on our terms. So come with an open heart and a desire to support the Balmy Army to speak truth to power that has failed them for far too long.
Exhibition
Balmy Army
A movement for youth-led mental health. This is art and activism rolled into one show - expect the unexpected.
event
Balmy Army: a Movement
Join the Balmy Army as we create the world's biggest and silliest march for less crap mental health support for young people. That’s right folks,…
event
Prepare to Move
All you crafty people, all you makers and artists, all you activists and campaigners, all you pissed off people: Join us for two days of…
event
Carers and Parents. How are you? (No really, how are you?)
Carers and parents of young people with mental health: Join us for our action lab, for a special performance by Balmy Army facilitator Evyn Seaton-Mooney…
event
NHS staff. How are you? (No really, how are you?)
‘How can we work together - young people and health workers, who are both being let down?’. The Balmy Army invites people working in young…
Theatre
111 More Time
Often mistaken for hungover uni students, Tess and Georgie live under a code of confidentiality and secrecy as volunteers for their student helpline service -…