Creativity

Creative activities have been proven to boost your mental health and wellbeing. Doing something creative can help you reduce and manage stress, and add enjoyment and fulfilment to your daily life.

By exploring the arts, whether that be taking part in, watching or experiencing, you can become more aware of your own feelings, learn from others and make positive changes in your life.

Ideas and resources

Creative activities can include:

• drawing
• painting
• taking photographs
• listening to music
• playing an instrument
• writing stories or poetry
• dancing
• singing
• crafting

Organisations and projects

Artlink aim to increase opportunities to take part in the arts for those who experience disadvantage or disability in the East of Scotland. It offers practical support so people can get involved and work with venues to increase opportunities to enjoy the arts.

Community Arts Penicuik is a friendly community of people who enjoy creativity in all the arts, including music. Join one of their many events in Penicuik’s community spaces.

Dalkeith Arts offers adults in Midlothian the opportunity to learn, take part and create. It has an annual exhibition and a thriving online community via its Facebook page.

Get2Gether provides social opportunities for people with disabilities living in the Lothians. Its newsletter has fun activities you can do at home and its social events include music, dancing and craft sessions.

Midlothian Young People’s Advice Service (MYPAS) run an art therapy course for young people in Midlothian.

One Dalkeith aims to enhance local arts, culture and heritage with its virtual art programme and its history projects.

Penicuik Arts Association is committed to bringing the community and art closer together, from the local community and from further afield, and to continue to provide a space affordably for artists to sharing and develop their artistic talents.

Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival is one of Scotland’s most diverse cultural events, aiming to support the arts and challenge preconceived ideas about mental health.

If you are looking for support that involves creative activities, please go to our Find Support page and find services available near you.

Share your creativity with us!

Let us know what creative projects you’re doing and what resources have inspired you. Email us or share them with us on Facebook.