Documentary screening showcases the lasting impact of arts project on mental health patients

21/09/2026

A new documentary highlighting a transformative arts programme at a secure mental health unit was screened at TAPE Community Music and Film, Colwyn Bay.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board hosted the special screening of a film documenting a three-year arts project at Tŷ Llywelyn Medium Secure Unit, a specialist psychiatric service in North Wales supporting people with severe mental health needs.

The documentary explores how participation in creative activities can help build confidence, connection, purpose and hope among people receiving care within the secure unit. The project was funded by the Arts Council of Wales and the Baring Foundation and the documentary was filmed by the community arts organisation TAPE.

As part of the project patients participated in two performances of a play called ‘Hope’ about Ernest Shackleton who led several Antarctic expeditions, and is a story of survival, purpose and hope. The play was co-written with patients and staff in the unit, supported by professional artists. Overall, 50 people were involved in the production, including 23 patients, who were supported by the Occupational Therapy Team and ward staff to take the lead on set design, music production, costumes, and acting.

Will Williams, Head of Service Delivery and Clinical Operations, said: "The creative sessions supported self-expression, helping the men communicate, reflect and be seen beyond their diagnosis. Our staff have also described how being involved in this project has improved their own wellbeing at work, and their relationships with patients. We have seen a reduction in incidents on the unit, in some cases reduced medication, and faster transitions to lower-secure settings.

“The project gave the men purposeful activity. The project was therefore not simply an arts activity it was a, low-cost, relational and recovery-focused intervention within a complex mental health setting.”

An independent evaluation of the final third year of the project has been undertaken, focusing on the direct and indirect impacts of the project. It and has found that the project has improved patient confidence, wellbeing, social connection, motivation and engagement.

Following the screening, attendees were given an opportunity to hear directly from those involved through a question-and-answer session.

Leading the discussion was Dyfed Edwards, Chair of BCUHB, speaking after the event, he said: “The Arts in Health and Well-Being programme has been a success story for us as a Health Board and for our patients. I have had the privilege to see projects that have brought performers, staff and patients together, sometimes in challenging settings, creating a movement of achieving and supporting others to be the best of themselves. These initiatives reflect our Health Board values and demonstrate how arts and culture can support wellbeing, foster inclusion, and create positive, therapeutic environments where patients and staff can thrive together.”

Ceri Charles Durrant, Relationship Manager Arts, from Health and Wellbeing at Arts Council of Wales which funded the programme, said: "The Arts and Minds programme has demonstrated the transformative power of creativity in supporting mental health and wellbeing across NHS Health Boards in Wales. By bringing together health services, artists and communities, the programme has helped people build confidence, connections and a sense of belonging, while providing valuable support for NHS staff. 

“The programme has demonstrated what is possible when creativity is embedded within a secure healthcare setting. The achievements of participants, culminating in projects such as Hope, provide compelling evidence that creative opportunity can support personal growth, recovery and positive change."

Steve Swindon, Founder and Creative Director of TAPE, said: "It was a privilege for TAPE to support the making of this film, and for those involved to be hands-on in telling the story of this fantastic production. The outcomes of the co-creation embedded at every stage clearly demonstrate how impactful and important initiatives of this nature are for us all.”