Artists and the ABC support Mental Health Week

Mental Health Week has begun. From 5-12 October the ABC is going Mental As…, promoting and encouraging all Australians to talk about mental health, to seek support and give money to fund mental health research.

Ongoing throughout this week, tune into the ABC programming via your radio, TV or your mobile to be apart of the conversation about mental illness, health and wellbeing. Looking at Mental Health from all angles and perspectives, the schedule includes everything from comedy to documentary, entertainment and debate.

The ABC is working with the Society for Mental Health Research (SMHR), the national peak body for psychiatric and mental health research in Australia and New Zealand, to raise awareness and more than $1 million for mental health research in Australia.

In support of the cause, artists and celebrities have generously donated works to a charity auction online at the SMHR ebay store to contribute to the fundraising. Items available for auction range from artworks by Del Kathryn Barton, Daniel Boyd, Euan Macleod, Ben Quilty and Fiona Lowry to a signed Socceroos jersey from Craig Moore, generating the national goodwill that drives this week forward.

Currently nearly 50% of all Australians experience at least one episode of mental ill health in our lives, with the annual cost of mental illness in Australia estimated at more than $20 billion.

ABC Director of Television Richard Finlayson commented on the cause, “Mental health challenges are huge and touch so many Australian families, yet we still struggle to talk about it openly. Our week of ABC Mental As… programming will challenge stigmas and taboos; promote discussion, support and education; and inspire Australia to donate to mental health research.

The campaign aims to invest funds raised into mental health research, supporting research to develop break throughs in preventing, diagnosing and treating mental ill health, and benefitting the whole community. To be apart of the cause click here.

ABC Mental As…
Mental Health Week
5 – 12 October

Image 1: Ben Quilty, Private Phil Butler, 2014, oil on linen, 70 x 80 cm, 
Image 2: Del Kathryn Barton, Shiny Girl, 2014, Acrylic on French Linen, 61cm x 81cm, photograph by Daniel Shipp

Images courtesy the artists and ABC