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Art show empowers young people to share their mental health journeys and connect with others in Hong Kong

  • Coolminds multimedia exhibition and workshops aim to end the stigma around mental health and bring young people together to cope with distress and find support
  • Surveys show more Hongkongers, especially the youth, feel anxious and need help; yet stigma and ignorance about where to find it prevents them from getting any

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Youth summit Coolminds uses art to encourage the exploration of the link between between the mind and body. Photo: Coolminds

Ending the stigma surrounding mental health is an ongoing battle in Hong Kong.

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To help the city’s youth navigate the mental health minefield, local NGOs Mind HK and KELY Support Group are this month hosting Coolminds, a summit that encourages participants to explore mind, body and spirit connections through an art exhibition and online workshops.

The free exhibition features some 40 multimedia artworks. More than 20 young people of different backgrounds created the paintings, photography, videos and short films that highlight their own mental health journeys.

To be held at The Garage (G/F, D2 Place Two) in the Kowloon neighbourhood of Lai Chi Kok from August 18-21, the exhibition serves as a platform to empower youth voices, says Mind HK’s Nicole Lee, the Coolminds project manager.

Nicole Lee is the Coolminds project manager. Photo: Coolminds
Nicole Lee is the Coolminds project manager. Photo: Coolminds
“By inviting the public to join our art exhibition and activities, we can help raise public awareness of youth mental health, break the chains of mental health stigma, and better equip ourselves to support youth in Hong Kong,” says Lee.
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