We want to do a collaborative art activity between our students and people with mental health problems to address the stigma. Where do we start? What can we do?

In our particular experience and after a long learning process, there are several elements to consider beforehand:

• The age ranges of the students with whom we will share the project, since the dynamics and proposals must be accessible and adapted taking into account that our way of doing things and language have to be welcoming and shared by all participants, making respect for difference a central axis.
• The times of real social contact that we will develop. The different evaluations have shown us that awareness-raising processes leave a more natural and lasting mark if the contact is sustained and revolves around common and meaningful themes for people, beyond mere monothematic information.
• The ability to create spaces for shared enjoyment , combining mixed games and working from co-creativity and the here and now, and giving space to listening to each and every one in the different gatherings.
• The possibility of doing so in the natural educational context (school, institute, etc.) and with the participation of reference teaching staff.
• And, above all, to have the utmost sensitivity and transparency.

There are several examples of experiences:

• Relating life – Grup Teatro Imagina Association
• Artistic Parelles, creative experiences for mental health - Osonament
• Trespassing Walls - Fundació Sebta, Department of Justice of the Generalitat of Catalonia and Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu.