Arts Awards

SANE's Arts Awards were established to encourage people coping with serious mental illness to explore their creative ability. Since the SANE Arts Fund was launched in 1994, the scheme has helped hundreds of artists, including painters, sculptors, craftsmen and photographers. It has uncovered a wealth of creative talent and several of the recipients have since embarked on promising careers in the arts.

Personal Grants

If you are affected by mental illness, and live in the UK, you may apply for an individual grant from the SANE Arts Fund. The spirit and intention of the programme is to enable people to practise their art, by providing money for materials. Grants typically range from £50 to £250.

Please email Wendy Lilly at: wendy.lilly@sane.org.uk for more information.

Sponsors

SANE is very grateful to the sculptor Josie Spencer who generously donated 25% of the proceeds from the sale of one of her sculptures. Josie’s work was exhibited at Wotton House in conjunction with SANE’s gala music event on World Mental Health Day 2009; an example of her work can be seen opposite. Josie’s contribution has helped to open a new round of Arts Awards, which we hope will inspire more people to apply for grants.

SANE is actively pursuing Trust and Corporate funding to boost the scope of this initiative.

Paul Lake

The SANE Arts Fund helped to support painter Paul Lake's ambition and he became a successful artist. The following video, which goes on to show some of SANE's campaigning work led by Marjorie Wallace, opens with images of Paul practising his art.  Marjorie eloquently expressed what so many people relate to us when she said, "for someone suffering from an illness like schizophrenia it's like living in a house of paper; too much is seen, too much is heard, there are too many shadows and too many voices".