To explore the psychosocial benefits of participating in a 2-year community arts project, eight people living with long-term mental health problems were interviewed. The project involved participants in selecting items of professional artwork, creating personal responses and curating a public exhibition. Interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Participants experienced the arts project as improving self-worth, emancipating self from illness labels, offering a sense of belonging, enabling acquisition of valued skills and offering meaningful occupation and routines. Some regarded their developing creative skills as improving their self-management of mental health. However, some anticipated the project's ending with anxiety.

Purpose – Since 2010, Dorset HealthCare University NHS Trust has been running a Hidden Talents project seeking to better understand how mental health services can value the lived experience of their staff. The purpose of this paper is to inform discussions on how clinicians and other staff can share their lived experience of mental health problems to improve the experience of people who access services, their carers and supporters and promote the wellbeing of all staff. Design/methodology/approach – The discussion paper was developed through the use of qualitative data collected through three focus groups. One of the focus groups represented people who are part of the Hidden Talents Project, one focus group had representatives of the different professional bodies and the third represented people who access services. Findings – It was identified that there were two differing considerations between sharing personal experience one was sharing with people who access services, the other was sharing with colleagues and managers. It was identified that in order to safely share personal experience it needed to happen in an supportive organisational culture. A number of suggestions were made as to considered why, when, how and what to share with people who access services. Research limitations/implications – This is not a formal piece of research, rather it is an exploration of a range of views and set out into a discussion document. Further action and research is required to explore this topic area in more detail. Originality/value – At present a number of mental health services are beginning to address the value of lived experience in the workforce. Very little has been published exploring how people can share their live experience. This paper provides a starting point for these discussions.

Background The three year 'Ways of Seeing' project was hosted by an award-winning museum and included adults with long-term diagnoses associated with mental health and physical impairments. The participants were involved throughout the project, preparing and curating artwork for a major public exhibition. Methods Qualitative data were collected to explore meanings of the project from the perspective of participants, the project manager and the public, using interviews, participant observation and comment cards. Results The project was successful in engaging the participants who had previously often felt excluded from mainstream art spaces. Findings about the benefits of arts participation echoed other studies but participants highlighted some difficulty with the ending of the project. Public perceptions were positive, acclaiming the thought-provoking quality of the exhibition. Interviews and participant observation revealed the importance of egalitarian leadership, mutual trust and the absence of any therapeutic agenda. Conclusion Developing similar projects would offer opportunities to foster diverse artistic communities and empower people with experiences of disability and mental health conditions.