Now in it’s 21st year, International Overdose Awareness Day is an annual day dedicated to ending overdose, remembering those who have died, and acknowledging the grief of the family and friends left behind. Taking place on 31st August it is a day for individuals and organisations to reflect, remember those that have been lost, and to help raise public awareness.
This year, Brighton based small performance adventures embarked on a nationwide Arts Council funded project to deliver creative workshops to organisations in London, Manchester, Salford, Brighton, Bristol, Plymouth, Leeds, Sheffield, Chester, and Bournemouth.
Focusing on creative writing and developing new performance these workshops were designed to kick start a programme of work to develop exciting artistic expressions, in many different art forms, based on the idea of creating new individual or community rituals for Overdose Awareness Day.
Talking about the project Kate McCoy of small performance adventures said:
“Recovery arts communities around England have come together to create and reflect on the need for rituals to help us as individuals and communities move through the world. Its been beautiful and powerful spending time with people through writing, photography, film, drama and reflective cups of tea – long may our rituals continue”.
Featuring the work of over sixty individuals the creative offerings will be shown for the first time on the Overdose Awareness Day Live social media pages in the week leading up to the day itself. This online sharing will feature a range of different art forms including; visual arts, ceramics, film, spoken word, and culminating in a poem created across all of this years locations.
Looking to 2023, all of these submissions will be brought together to form an e-book featuring all of the creations and interviews with participants from around the UK as a lasting collection of work inspired by Overdose Awareness Day as a day of reflection, remembrance, and education.
To see this years project simply search Overdose Awareness Day Live on social media and follow the pages for regular viewings.
