A MENTAL health art project held a pop-up art studio for staff, patients and families to come together and make some art.

It was held at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s HQ at Swandean in Worthing and was part of the Year of Drawing.

This is a year-long drawing project which aims to increase access to the arts for people who are facing mental health challenges.

The mental health trust’s Board Room was transformed into an art studio, which had areas for different activities, such as painting, drawing and mark making.

Led by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s charity Heads On, the Year of Drawing is part of Make Your Mark, Sussex Partnership’s arts and health programme.

Tessa Martina, who is a Peer Arts Worker for Sussex Partnership and facilitated the pop-up art studio at Swandean, said: “The great thing about the pop-up art studios is that it helps people to get back into contact with creativity, which is something that is in everyone’s soul.

“If someone is thinking about making some art, I would encourage them to just do it!

“You don’t have to be an artist.

“We make marks every day - the only difference with art is that the mark is captured on a surface.”

One in 4 people each year will experience mental health problems and it is widely believed that participation in the arts can have a positive effect on health and wellbeing.

Since launching Year of Drawing in October 2017, the Make Your Mark team has seen more than 100 people come together at one location to make art.

Artworks that have been created are on display at the University of Brighton gallery in the Marks Make Meaning: drawing across disciplines’ exhibition, which is open to the public until March 29.

The Year of Drawing is funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and grants from Chalk Cliff Trust, John Horniman’s Children’s Trust, Dixie Rose Findlay Charitable Trust and Rockinghorse Children’s Charity.

The Year of Drawing’s next public drawing event will take place on March 27 at Brighton Museum from 11am until 4pm.

To find out more about the Year of Drawing, go to www.makeyourmarknhs.co.uk.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides NHS mental health, specialist learning disability and prison healthcare services across and beyond Sussex.

Go to www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk