Welcome to Dr Guislain Museum
Conference aim
The second Culture & Mental Health international conference will take place in Ghent, Belgium on 28 and 29 November 2024. This conference seeks to promote learning, discussion and debate around cultural interventions aimed at improving the wellbeing of people recovering from mental health difficulties or people in vulnerable situations. The focus of this edition is on supporting the mental wellbeing of forcibly displaced people through art and culture.
In a report in 2022 the EU and WHO call for support for the mental wellbeing of forcibly displaced people through art and culture : “People displaced because of natural disasters, persecution, conflict, generalised violence or human rights violations invariably experience significant loss, physical hardships and other stressors that can lead to psychological distress. A large body of evidence shows how forcibly displaced people contribute positively to society. This potential can be further enhanced by ensuring that they are in good physical and mental health. Therefore, according to the report, it is important to support the arts, as investing in the field is an investment in the mental, physical and social health of forcibly displaced people.”
This conference wants to bring together individuals from the public, academic, third sector and voluntary sectors, to share experiences, practices and knowledge about the importance and impact of the arts, reading, heritage and creativity on improving mental health, wellbeing and resilience of refugees.
A symbolic venue
The Dr Guislain Museum is an obvious choice as a venue for this conference. Housed in the oldest mental asylum in Belgium, which dates back to 1857, surrounded by a mental health hospital. This museum aims to break down the many prejudices that still define what is mental illness and what is ‘normal’.
Dr Guislain Museum, Ghent, Belgium
More than a conference
A journey to the amazing city of Ghent for this conference is more than worthwhile. But as an extra we’re going to offer the participants exclusive pre-conference events organised in unique locations in Ghent and an exciting social programme.
3 Strands
The overarching theme of this conference is to explore the role of culture and art in promoting mental health and wellbeing among people who have been forcibly displaced. Within this theme we have defined three key strands around which all the contributions for this conference will be structured in the programme.
Lived experience of displacement
Individuals who experience forced displacement navigate a range of challenging experiences that can impact their mental health; from being forced to leave their homes, embark on long and exhausting journeys to navigate complex asylum processes and settle into new cultures. Yet, despite all these challenges, they demonstrate a tremendous amount of resilience to rebuild their lives anew. Refugees' contributions to society and culture should be widely recognised and celebrated.
We are looking for arts, reading, heritage or creativity-based offerings, projects and engagements that:
- are led by, co-created with or delivered in partnership refugees;
- reflect on the lived experience of refugees;
- are suitable for refugee children or young adults.
Communities and resilience
There is a strong relation between mental health and social inclusion. Being part of a community allows for meaningful connections to take shape and can help foster a sense of belonging and acceptance. Connections between newly arrived communities and more established residents at the local level, help to increase understanding and create more resilient communities.
We are looking for arts, reading, heritage or creativity-based offerings, projects and engagements that:
- are community-based and/or are oriented at the neighborhood level;
- center community voices, lived experiences and histories;
- highlight the experience of the hosting society in order to obtain a nuanced picture and also to contextualize initiatives;
- explore infrastructures of community care and support;
- demonstrate creative ways that public bodies such as libraries, museums and arts/cultural initiatives play a role in bringing about greater social inclusion and cohesion.
Place and language
Language can be seen to be both a key and barrier to navigating a new environment. Language is a central aspect to one’s identity and culture. It is also an important factor in navigating daily life, accessing services and information. Learning a new language can often be a challenge, but also necessary to gain a shared language for connecting with others and self-expression. Yet, language can also be mobilised to give rise to hostile rhetoric against refugees and newly arrived communities.
We are looking for arts, reading, heritage or creativity-based offerings, projects and engagements that:
- demonstrate the role of cultural projects or arts-based services in tackling information poverty;
- engage various modes of storytelling involving first languages and multilingualism and craft narratives that center lived experience and work towards dispelling dis/misinformation;
- explore other modes for self-expression and communication that move beyond spoken and written language to bring about greater participation;
- co-create safe and brave spaces with refugees to explore stories and heritage in an empowering way acknowledging feelings of pride and commitment (in order to connect to the new environment).
CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
We are looking for proposals from people working on creative, art-based, innovative or out-of-the-box projects, connected to one of the strands outlined above, in a research or operational capacity that can contribute to this conference.
You can contribute through formal presentations or workshops (see below). The contributions are to be given in English.
Paper
Paper is presented in a presentation that uses reference to visual aids in PowerPoint or PDF format. The papers will be put together in thematic sessions. A session consists of a minimum of 3 papers, with the possibility of questions and discussion at the end of each session
Workshop
A workshop offers a practical, hands-on demonstration or training in a particular method or aspect of interventions. Workshops are to be given during a single session of 90 minutes.
You can submit a proposal for a presentation or workshop (maximum 300 words) using this online form : https://forms.gle/fJFwWDNRwftScsgZA
Deadline: 30 March 2024
All proposals will be reviewed by the conference programme committee that consists of an international panel of experts coming from different fields and people with lived experience. We expect to inform all those who have put forward a proposal the result of their deliberations in May 2024. Accepted proposals receive a free full ticket to attend the conference.
Partners:
Dr Guislain Museum, iedereen leest en Red Star Line Museum & Solentra
In cooperation with:
University Ghent Social Work and Social Pedagogy, University College London Arts & Sciences and FARO. Flemish interface for cultural heritage