After working together only virtually for 10 months, the StaGe of Mind project team finally had the opportunity to meet in person. A meeting for all members of the project team was scheduled, during which each partner could present the progress of their activities so far implemented following the agreed plan. The meeting took place with the beginning of April 2022 in Valladolid city, where Fundación INTRAS and Rayuela Producciones Teatrales welcomed members from Angels of Joy, HAIL and the Society of Social Psychiatry P. Sakellaropoulos.
The main purpose of the meeting was to discuss the activities carried out so far among each of the partners of the project, to consider their possible enrichment for better effectiveness, as well as to establish the next steps to be taken. New plans and deadlines were also set to go on with the implementation of the project activities.
Rayuela and Angels of Joy have both already started the pilot test of the StaGe of Mind training programme, through the implementation of weekly workshops with service users of Fundación INTRAS and the Society of Social Psychiatry P. Sakellaropoulos. Both in Greece and in Spain, a group of willing participants are currently involved in the training with performing art experts, and are taking their first steps towards a joint production of a musical play.
As the main goal of the project is to heal various kinds of functional problems related to mental disorders through different ways of art, the methods used so far in the workshops where based on developing a sense of security and belonging to the group. Participants were proposed activities, through which they could find a way to feel more comfortable within each other and the space they work in, overcome the anxiety and timidity, as well as to understand better their body and the way they could communicate through it. They were also introduced to different ways of understanding theatre, dance, music and self-expression. In the future workshops it is planned to begin further steps in the direction of writing and creating a script for the musical, including scenography, props, and costumes.
At the end of this first training process, the creative phase will start and each national performer group will create a musical play from scratch and organize live performances, which will be presented during three opening nights planned between January and February 2023 in local theatres in Athens, Dublin and Valladolid.
Apart from talking about the project, while visiting Valladolid, the members of StaGe of Mind project had an opportunity to visit the Day centre of INTRAS, getting the chance to get to know the work this organisation does to accompany people with mental health issues in their recovery process. They were invited to visit GaleriasVA, a former city market recently turned into a cultural initiative centre where INTRAS has a studio to carry out projects related with art and inclusion. Thanks to Rayuela Producciones Teatrales, finally, the project team could visit the Calderón Theatre of Valladolid and assist at one session of the StaGe of Mind workshop.
This meeting was a great opportunity to talk about the project, but also to meet and get to know better the members of the team and the organizations. While attending the project workshop, in addition, members of Angels of Joy introduced the participants of their group in Athens to the group in Valladolid, by showing them a video they prepared for the occasion. In this way, participants from different countries, despite the distance, had the chance to get closer to each other and better understand the scope of this project, which made them very proud to be part of it.
