Southern Edge Arts receives $225,000 in funding from Healthway for arts workshops promoting mental health

Albany-based arts organisation Southern Edge Arts has received $225,000 in funding from Healthway to provide three years of art workshops promoting the mental wellbeing of young people.

The funding has been provided by Healthway’s Nurturing Wellbeing Through the Arts program to coincide with Mental Health Week, which runs from October 8-15.

Southern Edge Arts general manager Megan Turpin said the organisation would use the funding to continue its program of performing arts workshops to deliver Healthway’s message of “act, belong, commit”.

Ms Turpin said the funding would go towards holding about 600 circus arts and theatre arts workshops across the next three years, starting in 2023.

“We run a series of term workshops where people can sign up for the term and develop their skills throughout the term or throughout the year,” she said.

“And then we also do one-off come-and-try workshops to be able to expose people to different arts that they haven’t tried before.”

Southern Edge Arts will also work with local youth support and health providers to develop resources and staff training.

The education will include emotional literacy, positive coping strategies, stress management, and how and when to seek mental health support.

Healthway Lotterywest CEO Ralph Addis said the mental health of young people in regional WA was “incredibly important” and the group was proud to support Southern Edge Arts.

“Its program provides a fantastic platform to empower children and young people and give them a safe and inclusive space to express themselves, feel safe, and grow,” he said.

“The funding will support Southern Edge Arts to deliver a suite of activities that will improve the social and emotional wellbeing of children and young people.”