MIF & Therme Art team up for new art project promoting community healing in Manchester schools

A new art project has been commissioned by Therme Art in collaboration with Manchester International Festival, designed to engage with schools in local communities.

The project will work as an artistic workshop, taking place in local schools across the city and surrounding boroughs. Children will be invited to create art on ceramic tiles and engage in face-painting that expresses their moods and feelings following a breathing exercise.

These paintings will then be displayed in MIF’s new Festival Square at Cathedral Gardens from Friday 9 until Sunday 11 July, before they are then installed into the walls of the brand new spa and wellbeing resort, Therme Manchester, which is set to open in 2023.

The brains behind the project is Berlin-based Danish artist Jeppe Hein, who is renowned for utilising unique methods of engagement with his audiences. This project in particular hopes to inspire a deeper reflection of our inner selves – encouraging us to focus on our personal wellbeing and connections with those around us, as well healing together as a community.

During the past 18 months, young people have suffered hugely in the wake of the pandemic; from students and graduates to high school kids and toddlers. By inviting school children to talk about how they feel and share those feelings, Hein hopes the project will have a great impact on their mental wellbeing.

The series was curated by Therme Art, which works as the art and culture sector of Therme – an organisation that builds wellbeing resorts for self-care and replenishment. They also commission large-scale, long-term art projects to be displayed within the walls of Therme resorts.

‘Today I Feel Like…Manchester’ will become a permanent display in the new Manchester spot, worth a whopping £250m, which is set to offer hundreds of water-based activities and wellbeing treatments. This project in particular was created to form a strong bond between Therme and the young community of Manchester that it aims to serve.