A festival created to help in response to the need for education around suicide prevention, to raise awareness of issues that affect our mental health and wellbeing, to destigmatise mental health and addiction problems through changing dialogue and perception and create tangible support networks to encourage self-care for those engaged in the performing arts.

Produced by Borni Te Rongopai Tukiwaho at Te Pou Theatre
October 2nd – 28th 2017
https://www.facebook.com/atawhaifestival/

Week 1: Supporting emerging writers with lived experience to present their stories. Through script workshopping, devising and presenting 4 new works were developed. The stories included pieces based around, schizophrenia, post-natal depression, workplace anxiety and teenage death.

Week 2: Mental Health Awareness Week with Comedy featuring shows by Ashton Brown and Frickin Dangerous Bros.

Week 3: Workshops. Arts Industry Emotional Aid workshop and singing /vocal workshops run by Caitlin Smith focussed on teaching tangible tools for self-care amongst arts practitioners.

Week 4: Breathe, a two person play (development season)