Mental Health for Artists 2025

Our fifth year of Mental Health for Artists brought together artists, curators, and creative practitioners for five free online events exploring the realities of sustaining wellbeing in the arts. This year’s programme tackled perfectionism, networking barriers, wellness culture, equitable curating, and finding your audience. The aim was to challenge the pressures that can make the art world a difficult place to thrive.

Highlights from the Season

An Artist’s Guide to Perfectionism – Babeworld

Babeworld unpacked the pressures of productivity under capitalism, particularly for autistic, marginalised, and neurodivergent creatives. Through reflections on their multimedia work No Sleep Just Clouds, they explored how distraction, play, and resisting perfectionism can be acts of creative care.

“Think of my personal drive for perfection as some kind of anxious artist Olympics, and all that stands between me and that juicy gold medal is me.”

Babeworld.

Networking for Artists Who Do Not Like to Network – Short Supply

Mollie and Bek shared practical tips for building connections without forcing uncomfortable situations. Their strategies focused on accessibility, online engagement, and redefining networking as mutual support rather than transactional exchange.

“Anything is possible. The things that you are dreaming of can happen. And a little part of that is obviously networking."

Short Supply.

What’s Up with Wellness? – Nicola Singh

Nicola offered a somatic perspective on health and healing, drawing on breathwork, sound, and listening practices rooted in grief, trauma, and spiritual traditions. She invited artists to consider how wellness culture intersects with social justice and embodied care.

“I guess we’re all born into this world as extremely vulnerable and extremely willing to express that vocally. As we get older, we’re shut down on that, and then it becomes something we have to put effort into...the bravery of saying, ‘I’m going to be this way,’ even though there may be negative consequences.”

Nicola Singh.

What Curators Want, Part 2 – Marcelle Joseph

Marcelle discussed how curatorial practice can be a tool for equity. She highlighted the importance of creating opportunities for underrepresented artists and questioning gatekeeping in the art world.

“So if you’re struggling to get the attention of certain galleries or curators or writers you respect and admire, find your own community of like-minded artists.”

Marcelle Joseph.

Finding Your Audience – Vex Ashley

In a candid conversation, Vex explored building an audience for work that crosses boundaries between art, pornography, and performance. She spoke about independence, authenticity, and walking away from art worlds that do not align with your values.

“The audience is out there. It’s about not necessarily focusing on everyone, but finding the people who connect with what you do.”

Vex Ashley.

Resilience, self-care and what keeps you making art

We commissioned 12 artists to share what resilience means to them, their best self-care tips, and what keeps them making art in a challenging climate.

The responses were raw, honest and deeply personal, highlighting both the struggles and the small but powerful things artists do to keep going.

• Read the artists’ responses

Why It Matters

This season continued to expand the conversation on artist wellbeing, blending personal testimony with practical approaches to self-care. Feedback highlighted the value of hearing directly from artists who have navigated mental health challenges in their own practice.

By holding space for honesty, care, and solidarity, Mental Health for Artists strengthens a growing network committed to making the arts a healthier and more inclusive place.

Member exclusive: Watch again

Recordings of all events are available for members in the Axis community area.

Find out more about the annual Mental Health for Artists programme, including the latest season and upcoming events, on our Mental Health for Artists page.