Exhibition Opening Hours
Come Visit
Saturday 21st May 12-6pm
Sunday 22nd May 12-4pm
Invisible Truths
An artistic exploration of perinatal mental health services in Scotland
The Project
Sharing our Invisible Truths
Maternal Mental Health Scotland: Experts by Experience are a community of passionate individuals with lived experience of perinatal mental health issues. using their collective voice to raise awareness, and campaign for improved perinatal services across Scotland. Early in 2020, we decided to set about creating an artistic response to our experiences with a view to creating a body of work which would engage the public and policy makers alike, sparking conversations and shining a light on the state of perinatal mental health services in Scotland. We were fortunate to receive a grant from the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund, and quickly commenced the project, as a group of twelve, meeting monthly for creative sessions. Using a range of media, the artists from across Scotland have produced a body of work which depicts their journeys to recovery from perinatal mental illness. There are stories of despair and hope alike, with examples of supportive therapeutic relationships, as well as failings in care. The group have been extremely brave in sharing their stories, and hope that this project will help towards improving care and service provision for the mothers of the future, and their partners & families.
Perinatal Mental Health Services in Scotland
There is an undeniable level of inequality in current specialist perinatal service provision across Scotland. Maternal Mental Health Scotland's Experts by Experience group are working to continuously campaign for improved services, which are accessible to mothers and their families, regardless of their postcode. We support the recent financial investment from the Scottish Government, of £52 million over a four year period. However, the landscape has changed dramatically due to the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic, with the level of need higher than ever before. We trust there will be continued focus on improving perinatal mental health services, with additional funding and resources.
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Exhibition Feedback
We've had in incredible response on social media following the launch of Invisible Truths, here's what people have been saying about the project . . .
So poignant and powerful, parents voices and images need to be heard, seen and felt. Fantastic artistic response from MMHS Experts by Experience collective
@Emmacashmore4
Such powerful work via an array of creative mediums. Thank you to all the contributors for their strength. This work will no doubt raise awareness in Scotland and beyond . . .
@AlangMonica
Powerful, inspiring and challenging project from MMHS about Scotland's perinatal mental health services.
@roch61
An artistic exploration of perinatal mental health services in Scotland. Making invisible truths, visible, through art and poetry. One of the best explorations on perinatal mental health services, and what support looks like, that you will come across.
@DrCarolineKing
There are some incredibly powerful creative pieces here, and the messages shouldn't go unnoticed!
@mwstephmair
There are some really raw works of art here that beautifully convey what women have been experiencing mentally in Scotland, in the perinatal period.
@mandamacd99
Especially (to me) the images are real & raw, conveying women's pain, despair & frustration when services cannot meet their needs. Great work to enable them express themselves & help others understand the experience.
@elizabethduff2
Wow - the art on this MMHS website is beautiful yet heartbreaking. Such creative and powerful expressions of perinatal mental health difficulties.
@Katie_Jones2
Contact MMHS
Experts by Experience
If you would like any further information on the project, or indeed about how you can become involved with the work of Maternal Mental Health Scotland, please reach out!