New culture online project, MadforArts, will give those with mental health problems a chance to take people into their world.

M2 PRESSWIRE-17 May 2004-UK Government: New culture online project, MadforArts, will give those with mental health problems a chance to take people into their world(C)1994-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:05172004

An exciting new arts project was announced today by Arts Minister Estelle Morris. It will give people with mental health issues a chance to express their responses to the Arts and give an insight to all of us about a variety of mental states.

The Minister was announcing the latest Culture Online project, MadforArts, which will provide a forum for thousands of people with experience of mental health issues to give their views on a piece of art, architecture or music. It will use an innovative, rich multimedia website and national television broadcasts. Twelve lucky contributors will also be involved in making short films all about their views on the arts. Five of the films will be shown on UK broadcaster Five, and all twelve will be aired on the Community Channel and the MadforArts website.

Commenting on the project Estelle Morris said: "People who have experienced mental health problems are often among the most marginalized people in our society. This project will provide them with an opportunity to engage in a public debate which I hope will open up new ways of looking at and interpreting today's art world.

"The arts have always represented our conscious and subconscious reaction to the world about us. Some of the world's greatest art has been created by geniuses, like Van Gogh, Edvard Munch, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko, who experienced mental health issues at some time in their lives. Their work has challenged our views and in the process enriched our lives. I hope MadforArts will generate a debate from which all of us can learn and gain new insights into why and how we all relate to the Arts." Jonathan Drori, Director of Culture Online said: "The Arts are about emotion, about how people see the world.

MadforArts will allow us to experience art, music and architecture through the eyes of other people - not just any people, but thousands of folk whose mental states give them insights that are out of the ordinary. The consortium that's been brought together to make this happen is extraordinary too - the Community Channel, Channel 5, Mental Health Media and Rethink all working together with a Development Producer from the DCMS. I can't wait to see the result!" MadforArts will be launched in England on October 10 to coincide with World Mental Health Day.

Notes to editors

MadforArts is the latest Culture Online project to be announced.

Further details on all projects are available on the Culture Online website: www.cultureonline.gov.uk The Community Channel is a not-for-profit television channel dedicated to getting people to do more with their lives. It is owned by the Media Trust, a charity which works with the media industry to help charities communicate. For further information contact Jen Topping, MadforArts Project Manager (tel: 020 784 7612). A copy of The Community Channel press release is available via the following website: www.communitychannel.org/news/index.php Culture Online The projects will be accessible in a variety of ways including via individual organisations' websites and links to Curriculum Online (run by the Department for Education and Skills). These projects are beginning to go live and more will come on stream to the public over the coming year.

The overall aim of Culture Online is to use new technologies to increase access to and participation in the arts and culture. We will bring together cultural organisations with technical companies, design firms and outreach providers to create projects that will delight adults and children of all ages and backgrounds.

Culture Online is a DCMS programme with GBP13m allocated to Culture Online for the commissioning of 15-30 projects before the end of 2004. Culture Online will be delivered through cross-sectoral collaborations between cultural and commercial organisations and will encourage people all over the country to interact with the arts and culture in new and more creative ways. Projects will use new technologies including Internet (broadband and narrowband), digital TV, mobile devices, CD/DVD, and touch-screen kiosks.

The objectives of Culture Online are to:

* enhance access to the arts for children and young people and give them the opportunity to develop their talents to the full

* open up our cultural institutions to the wider community, to promote lifelong learning and social cohesion

* extend the reach of new technologies and build IT skills

* support wider and richer engagement and learning by all adults Public Enquiries: 020 7211 6200 Internet: http://www.culture.gov.uk Department for Culture, Media and Sport 2-4 Cockspur Street London SW1Y 5DH www.culture.gov.uk

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