threadUp CIC

I’m Rafaela Nunes, a therapist specialising in supporting creatives with their mental health and have been working with them for many years in my own private practice ‘threadUp’ based in Manchester. I’ve also founded a not for profit organisation – threadUp CIC – taking my work with creatives on to larger structures such as festivals and cultural organisations. I have been coming to the Edinburgh Fringe for a few years, talking to many creatives on an informal basis to build a picture of how they are supported at the Fringe. This year, I’m very proud to be collaborating with Alex Petty and The Free Festival who are running Bar 50 on Cowgate as The Free Festival’s performer led disability and neurodiversity friendly space, also a relaxed performer hub for everyone to use in the centre of the Old Town. There will be people on hand to support at various times and I’ll be one of them, running a few therapeutic drop-in sessions. This is such a wonderful initiative from Alex, and a great example of how we can better support creatives at the Edinburgh Fringe, because, as we know – some, not all, could do more. Actually I’ll go further, we all could do more.

The creative challenge is of course a big one, shows every day for a month or even for a few days is always testing, but of course it’s a challenge that creatives accept. It often drives them forward and enriches their lives. But then there are the challenges that are to a certain extent out of their control – the financial challenges, which has become far bigger this year with the rising cost of accommodation, being judged by critics, audiences and peers, not having their usual support network, stimuli overload, the overwhelming noise of the place from the sheer number of voices wanting to be heard – I’m going to stop there as I feel the tension in my own body! Some stress in face of these challenges is a natural part of the process, but what I have witnessed vastly when visiting the festival, are levels of stress that are completely unsustainable and harmful!

But yes there are all of these challenges and more, though we can’t lose sight of what an amazing place it is – a creative Universe for one month! With so many creatives in one place can be stressful, but it’s also an incredible opportunity for us all to be entertained, informed and inspired.

If people would let them, I believe creatives could heal humanity – absolutely crystal clear to me, but let’s see how I do with convincing you!

Creatives have for the longest time been known by society as too sensitive, frail and “tortured artists” who produce their best art and/or creative expression from that place of emotional pain and distress. Since society accepts and has floated this idea for centuries, we start to unpick this concept from the perspective that creatives are indeed bringing their most intimate and deep notions of self to everything they do. In doing so their creations go into the world and are consumed by us all with these intimate parts of themselves imprinted in them. These creations in any medium can offer creatives their own catharsis but also to those who are appreciating, consuming and critiquing. But whilst we appreciate these creations, we cannot hold on to this notion of the ‘tortured artist’ as a reason not to offer support through our every interaction with them.

You know when you read something that just has the right words to describe your pain, your elation, your gratitude, your anger? That film, that song, that painting, that show and all of the other countless forms of creative expression, can take us all to a place of reflection and insight from one moment to the next. Could we have arrived there by ourselves? Perhaps. But of course, it is deeply moving and meaningful to see our internal world so expertly depicted from outside of our own experience; their creative expression holds transformative and healing powers, they are gifts to us all, and for this reason creatives should be, in my humble opinion, a fiercely protected community. And what better place to start than at the Fringe?

And this is why The Free Festival’s initiative is so important this year – which I hope creatives don’t ignore, with many initiatives happening in one place, even just the discussion that will generate is so beneficial to the way all creatives, not just neurodiverse ones, feel at the Fringe. The challenges are big, and they are being met to a certain extent by other initiatives such as by the helpful therapeutic handouts from Objectively Funny and the financial assistance by the Keep it Fringe Fund, but of course this can only ever help a tiny fraction of the creative community up there. The only way for real change, is first and foremost coming from a perspective of valuing creatives, being inspired by these valuable wellbeing initiatives on offer, and to take a more holistic approach for us all to embrace change, and it is achievable.

All I’m asking you to do as a visitor, critic, producer, technician, venue owner, PR or audience member at the Fringe is to ask yourself one question when you’re at the Festival – do I value creatives? Do I really value them – do I agree even to a small extent that if people let them, they could heal humanity? Then I’ll seek to support them differently – if I’m an audience member I’ll be more supportive when I feel I can be, if I am a venue or a landlord I won’t charge so much next time, I’ll be more encouraging when a creative at my venue needs support, if I’m a critic I’ll be honest but kinder, I will actively support initiatives that don’t add to the financial burden of creatives. And so on. I’m a firm believer of yes, big changes start with small actions, but the real change can only happen if we all change, every single one of us, and it’s a fairly easy change to make – let’s all value the creative more.

– Rafaela Nunes, Counsellor, CIC founder.

Read about threadUp at the Fringe here at British Comedy Guide.