The Mental Health Noise Orchestra

Why

The Mental Health Noise Orchestra is a project involving people with mental disabilities and health issues. As well as being community-based, it operates at the cutting-edge of contemporary sonic art, challenging public preconceptions concerning people with disabilities through demonstrating their potential for creativity and experimentation. Through workshops, the participants open their ears to the possibilities of sound and noise through listening whilst exploring an alternative to elitist traditions and the profit-driven music industry which pervade our notion of what music is or should be.

Location

Lublin, Poland

Characteristics

How it was done

How

The project was conceived by the artist Ryo Ikeshiro (UK/Jp) who spent a few weeks working with people from the “Benjamin” Support Centre for People with Disabilities (Ośrodek Wsparcia dla Osób z Niepełnosprawnością “Benjamin”). Together, they presented the world premiere of the Mental Health Noise Orchestra in Lublin. They hoped that by attending the performance, the audience would also be encouraged to open their ears and minds.

Results

Bordr Stories

As part of this activity, Bordr stories were booked.

View more stories posted with this activity

How it went

Main lessons learned

The participants and those working at the day care centre were extremely enthusiastic and supportive at all times. They were very happy with the workshops and the performances which I was very pleased with.

There were issues with organisation which could have been improved. By working more efficiently, the content of the workshops could have been more finely-tuned, but overall the outcome was successful.

Credits

Ula Pilat (interpreter and assistant)
Participants from Benjamin, including everyone working there
Warsztaty Kultury
Piotr Brożek (video)
Marcin Pietrusza (photography)

Activity Timeline