March 2016 saw the launch of a brand new festival in Scotland, Declaration Fest, exploring health and human rights. The festival was led by the Mental Health Foundation, in partnership with NHS Health Scotland, the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland and the Centre for Health Policy at Strathclyde University.

The lead Scots organisations on mental health came together as part of Scotland’s National Action Plan on Human Rights (SNAP), and the programme was based around the SNAP themes of Better Culture, Better Lives and Better World. With the aim to build upon Scotland First Minister’s vow to ‘do even more even better on incorporating human rights in Scotland’, the consortium is part of an on-going commitment to the right to health and social care in Scotland.

The Declaration festival took place at the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) in Glasgow with 30 events over 4 days – a mix of film screenings, performances, debates, workshops and provocations – each one inspired by one of the 30 articles in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Audiences at events were diverse, with people attending from key organisations and academic institutions as well as individuals with a passion for human rights, including artists and activists. The result was an inspiring, uplifting and sometimes challenging long weekend of debate and discussion. You can read reviews of events, listen to podcast and more at www.declarationfest.com.

The Mental Health Foundation also leads the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival, an annual event taking place throughout Scotland each October aiming to support the arts and challenge negative perceptions of mental health. In 2016 the Festival is celebrating its 10th year. Find out more at www.mhfestival.com.

Contact: Gail Aldam, galdam@mentalhealth.org.uk