
Finding Some Way Through
(A City of the Mind)
A Listening Party
Blue Monday, 16th January 2017
The Rotunda (Café), 107 Great Mersey St, Liverpool, L52PL
6pm-7:30pm
All Welcome
Liverpool Mental Health Consortium and Writing on the Wall present…
A Listening Party on Blue Monday, 16 th January, to celebrate the launch of the soundscape: Finding Some Way Through (A City of the Mind), created by project participants, led by composer and musical director Patrick Dineen.
The group met for twelve weeks, and recorded in locations across the city to create a unified piece of work to mark Blue Monday, regarded traditionally as the most depressing day of the year. The project aims to highlight issues of mental health, work to remove the stigma attached to it, and offer a positive experience to people experiencing mental distress.
Participants worked with Patrick to create an imaginary world with sound, using modern digital technology techniques. The project explored sampling, field recording and studio production. All participants created a ‘district’ of their own in a imaginary city – a city of the mind. From this central metaphor, a narrative was constructed based on an imagined character’s journey across the city. The piece uses no spoken narrative, leaving it open for the listener to create their own inner journey as they travel across the city
The project also considered the definition of self and psychological wellbeing in relation to the psychologically repressive and ‘unhealthy’ world in which we live. ‘Being heard’ is a key theme.
“Finding Some Way Through is an exciting and innovative project between the Liverpool Mental Health Consortium and Writing on the Wall. It was new for us at WoW to be involved with a project like this one, but we knew it would be important to raise awareness around mental health especially with the final event taking place on Blue Monday. It has been amazing to watch this take shape and unfold into the final project that I am sure will not disappoint.”
Mike Morris, Co-Director, Writing on the Wall.
“Liverpool Mental Health Consortium is delighted to be working with Writing on the Wall, Patrick Dineen and all the participants who’ve created this atmospheric and thought-provoking piece. Thanks to everyone who contributed their time, skill, expertise and enthusiasm! Thanks also to The Rotunda for helping us to launch ‘Finding Some Way Through (A City of the Mind) on Blue Monday (Mon 16 th Jan), the so-called ‘most miserable day of the year’. This piece proves that providing creative ways for people to express their feelings about mental health/mental distress not only makes them feel better about themselves and contributes to a collective sense of community but also offers a positive experience to everyone who experiences the work of art that’s been created. We’re proud to have been involved.”
Claire Stevens, Development Manager, Liverpool Mental Health Consortium.
The event will be held at The Rotunda (Café), 107 Great Mersey Street, Liverpool, L5 2PL on the 16 th January. It starts at 6pm and ends at 7:30pm. All are welcome to attend.
The piece will also be available to listen to at The Rotunda Café throughout the rest of the week.