The Main People Involved

Creative Routes (also see Proud to be mad):
is an award winning arts organisation run by the mad for the mad, celebrating and illuminating the creativity of the mad whilst creatively campaigning to exterminate stigma in all its manifestations.
We offer a wide variety of workshops including drumming, drama with the Young Vic Theatre, creative writing, where the mad can improve skills, break isolation and improve social skills, confidence and self esteem and develop their own arts practice.

And 'The Mad' are...?
People who have suffered very long term mental illness for most of their lives. It's not as if one can put on a madness mask and take it off at will-the mask is stuck and becomes the face.
MADNESS should be viewed positively facilitating an outpouring of immense and unique creative energy.

The artistic relationship and dialogue between Creative Routes and the Young Vic creates new adventurous ways of working and new pieces of work. I hope that our relationship with Creative Routes continues to showcase this remarkable group's talents and views.
David Lan.

MAD PRIDE is committed to ending discrimination against psychiatric patients, promoting survivor equality and celebrating Mad culture. Mad Pride is an idea which came out of the 1997 Gay Pride Festival in London. A few survivors of the mental health system said "we could do with a festival like this". And so a motley collection of individuals got together and slowly started organising themselves so as to put on events. These Mad Pridesters did some research on the Name and Aims of the thing. Then they set about forming a non-profit-distributing company to develop MAD PRIDE. Mad Pride now sees itself as part of the newest (but probably not the last) Civil Rights movement.

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING improves disabled people's access to live music by implementing a Charter of Best Practice in grassroots music venues, clubs, festivals and tours across the UK.
Attitude is Everything was set up in response to disabled people's complaints of unfair treatment at music venues, clubs and festivals. Artsline realised that the music industry was not aware of their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act and the project was set up to work positively with the industry to raise awareness and was launched in September 2000.

CORE ARTS is a registered charity that exists to promote freely and without prejudice, the artistic and creative abilities of people who experience severe and enduring mental health problems

CONTINENTAL DRIFTS are international event production and entertainment specialists. They are a dynamic, innovative and creative company, bringing quality entertainment, music and events to people throughout the world.

SHAPE has been at the forefront of change for almost 30 years, aiming to achieve access to the arts for disabled and deaf people; empowering people to enrich their lives through enjoyment of the arts and active participation.

THE SOUTH LONDON GALLERY (SLG) is a nationally and internationally recognised venue for the exhibition of contemporary visual art exhibitions and live art events, with integrated education and outreach programmes. It is distinguished by its beautifully proportioned, high-ceilinged exhibition space; its location in the heart of a residential area with a culturally diverse population and relatively high levels of social and economic exclusion; and its proximity to two of London’s leading art colleges (Camberwell College of Art is next door to the SLG and Goldsmith’s College is also nearby).
The SLG opened on its present site in 1891 with the aim of ‘bringing art to the people of South London’. It has continued to do so ever since, but with particular success in the past decade when the emphasis has been on showing challenging new work by emerging and established British and International artists. The gallery now enjoys a strong International reputation, attracting collectors and contemporary art enthusiasts from around the globe, whilst simultaneously being a vital resource locally.

THE SOUTH LONDON PRESS has proved itself as The Newspaper for South Londoners. They helped Creative Routes to find their stolen sheep by publicising its picture and donated £50.00 towards a reward for her return.
They also co-ordinated a petition as support for the campaign to save the Maudsley Emergency Clinic, and have proved themselves to be a truly ethical paper by supporting local community issues. BY doing this they are proving that South London has a community and that that community cares about whats happening – they have proved that the Media can be trusted, their ethical work impacts on promoting the good that is in journalism and media.