Published in The Plymouth Herald, Saturday 9th May
Plymouth women’s art exhibition celebrates a year of creativity and recovery
Free opening night at Stonehouse venue promises music, poetry and personal stories
A Plymouth social enterprise is set to open a landmark art exhibition this May, celebrating a year of mindful creativity with women on the road to recovery from mental health challenges and substance misuse.
Mindful Art Club CIC, funded by the Livewell Foundation, has spent the past twelve months delivering weekly art sessions in partnership with Greenspace Community Hub, Gifted Women, Sunflower Women’s Centre and Leadworks Projects CIC. The resulting exhibition, featuring work created entirely by participants, opens at Leadworks in Stonehouse on Friday, May 15th and runs until May 20th.
The free opening night on Friday, May 15th, from 7pm, promises an evening of entertainment including live acoustic music from local songwriter Abi Bee, poetry from established female poets and newcomers to the scene, and personal stories from Plymouth women about how art has helped them through adversity.
Peggy Melmoth, co-founder and director of Mindful Art Club CIC, said: “This exhibition is the culmination of something really special. When we began these sessions a year ago, we hoped art might open a few doors for the women who came along. What we’ve seen has gone far beyond that: courage, honesty, and some genuinely beautiful work. We can’t wait to share it with Plymouth.”
Ellen Wilton, who attended the weekly sessions, said: “I’ve been fighting for therapy for years. Some things in life are only meant to be said to a professional, like a therapist. So while I was on a waiting list, I showed up at Mindful Art Club. I cried. I identified with people. I got the warmest welcome from Emma and Peggy. I left having not felt the one thing I thought I would encounter: judgment. My life has improved in so many ways because of mindful art.”
The opening night is free to attend, with doors opening at 7 pm and performances beginning at 7.30 pm. Visitors are invited to browse the exhibition, meet the artists and hear directly from the women whose work is on display.
Donations on the night will go towards supporting more people in Plymouth through Mindful Art Club’s ongoing programme.
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