StaGe of Mind was a multidisciplinary arts and education project that sought to harness the educational and therapeutic potential of various art disciplines, including theatre, dance, plastic arts and costume design/production. By merging these disciplines into a unified project, the aim was to foster the development of diverse skills and competencies among the project participants.
The project brought together European performing artists and mental health services providers from three countries – Greece, Ireland, and Spain — who collaborated to create an innovative educational-artistic training program for individuals using mental health services. The mental health service users were the primary beneficiaries and central figures in the project. Over a period of 24 months, they received tailor-made training from performing arts professionals and social educators. Subsequently, they collaborated to conceive, design and perform a musical theatre show from scratch, guided by the professional direction and guidance.
The entire creative process adhered to the co-production methodology, actively involving the participants in all aspects of the musical show's design and production. The screenplay was collaboratively written by participants, while the staging was developed by creative teams. The involvement of individuals with mental health issues extended beyond acting, as they also contributed to the design and production of the scenography, props and costumes. At the culmination of the creative process, each local performer group organized live performances to showcase their remarkable accomplishments.