2.8 Million Minds

2.8 Million Minds

2022-23.

With more and more young people struggling with their mental health in London, 2.8 Million Minds was a action based research process to support young people to make art and activism that changes how mental health is experienced and supported. 

Creating healthy and bold ways for young people to co-lead, mental health disabled artists and diverse arts organisations worked together to attempt to imagine and make real spaces for mutual care, safety and radical visions of mental health. A multi year approach, building from the local we worked closely with Bernie Grant Arts Centre, Chisenhale Gallery and Whitechapel Gallery over 2 years. 2.8 Millions Minds was funded and supported by the Mayor of London’s culture team (shout out to Clare Lovett).

Inspired by disability justice and mad pride approaches to mental health. Asking, ‘How can young Londoners can use art to begin to radically re-imagine mental health support, justice and pride?’. Begun in winter 2022, this process tried to work sustainably yet with urgency.

Part 1 – A Manifesto for 2.8 Million Minds

Our first part of the process worked with 40plus young people from Haringey and Tower Hamlets, and led to the publication of A Manifesto for 2.8 Million Minds, which also had live presentation at the Parliament of the UK (Palace of Westminster) and Lewisham Shopping Centre (as part of Liberty Festival).

Made during a wild 6 months at the beginning of 2022, this manifesto outlines a series of art processes and actionable ideas that challenge how and who makes the decisions in the lives of young people’s mental health. More than a Manifesto, the document also shares visions for a future worth living, how-to guides, resources and critical reflections.

This process brought together the ideas, feelings, demands and processes of young people from Haringey, Tower Hamlets (and more) with artists Becky Warnock, Simon Tomlinson, Tyreis Holder, and Yomi Sode. In parallel to these commissions, complementing research around the need, ethics and practicals of art, young people and mental health was led by Tara Brown and Nicola Sim with Seth Pimlot and the vacuum cleaner

Download it here – High Resolution 63MB | Low Resolution 6MB).

Artists and collaborators.

Alfie, Amina, Aniqa, Anna, Ash, Azmina, Becky, Beki, Bevali, Bobby, D, Emma, Emma, Frank, George, Hannah, James, Josiah, Jummy, Katie, Lloyd, Maiya, Martha, Masumi, Michele, Naomi, Nicky, Nohan, Nurul, Sai, Seth, Simon, Tahiyah, Tara, Thoma, Tyreis, Yomi, Yu’an, Zakayah, Zoé and all those who wish not to be named.

Part 2 – Should we fix something that never really worked?

Our second part of the process worked with artists Amina Jama, Cecilia Wee and the vacuum cleaner with 30 plus young people living or connected to Tower Hamlets, it led to a sharing called ‘Should we fix something that never really worked? that was produced by Chisenhale Gallery (shout out to Seth Pimlott) at Whitechapel Gallery.

The sharing explored ideas of rage, love and mutual care around young people’s mental health through song, words, meditation, rants, films and a 8 meter doodle.

Read the zine made by the artists.

Artists….

Anqia, Aren, Ash, Ash, Bhav, Camil, Charlotte, Deanna, Emma, Evie, Fariha, Fatima, Forhana, Hawwa, Inaaya, Josiah, Jummy, Kairi, Khadeza, Lily, Maiya, Matthew, Mehrine, Naomi, Nishat, Nishat, Nurul, Osama, Phosphane, Rat, Safiyah, Samira, Shajida, Shanaz, Shane, Tashassu, Thomas, Xenia, Yazrah, Zaynab