WHO
First Fortnight is an arts-based mental health awareness project that happens in the first two weeks of every year. This is our third year of operation having successfully produced First Fortnight 2010 and 2011. Specifically we are a small group of volunteers who work every spare moment we have to make this project happen because we believe passionately in it. We gain nothing but the satisfaction of knowing we can deliver something that we believe helps to inspire engagement with a crucially important issue.
WHAT
In 2010 and 2011 First Fortnight was a live original music gig preceded by a public mental health symposium in the daytime. Last year the event was in support of Amnesty International Ireland’s campaign to challenge mental health prejudice and discrimination. In the process of promoting the gig we aimed to create momentum and awareness of the campaign. We felt that this model worked better than we could have expected, so this year, we are making things even bigger and better.
In 2011/12 we are working along side See Change to raise awareness of their national campaign to reduce stigma in mental health in Ireland. To build on the success of the previous years, this time around we are planning Ireland’s first ever mental health based arts festival. In January of 2012, rather than being a one day event consisting of a talk and a live music event, First Fortnight will be transformed into a 2 week programme of events all falling under the mental health umbrella. Live music will of course still feature heavily, as will talks and discussions on the issues surrounding mental health. But this year we will also be bringing a wide array of arts based shows, exhibitions, etc. to the first two weeks of the year. Check back regularly for updates on what we have planned…
WHY
Mental health -prejudice and discrimination can do more lasting harm to people than a period of low mood or self harm. An awareness campaign in the First Fortnight of the year works because we are all a little raw that time of year and more likely to be open to an empathic response. We expect the First Fortnight of every year to be synonymous with mental health awareness and ending discrimination, prejudice and social stigma.
The project utilises the mediums of the arts to create a platform for our partner organisation to get their message heard. We strictly only involve artists producing original work. We embed the link between the creative process and emotional expression in the core features of the project.
The success of the project in its inaugural year was demonstrated in us bringing 500 people together for a live music event and generating national media attention, which included two national broadcasters, one Dublin music broadcaster, 2 national newspapers and one Dublin daily paper. And that success was multiplied several fold in 2011 with several national papers covering the event, numerous radio spots (including an interview on the Ray D’Arcy show), and most importantly hundreds of people turning up to talk about mental health and to show their support for what we do. Put simply, it works.