Calling BPOC Creatives & Cultural Professionals for a Wellbeing Study – Creative Balance Launches Groundbreaking Research into BPOC Mental Health in Scotland’s Creative Industries
First comprehensive study exploring how BPOC-led spaces can support wellbeing for racialised* communities across Scotland’s creative industries
Creative Balance, a research initiative by We Are Here Scotland, is calling for Black and Global Majority creatives and cultural professionals to express their interest in participating in group interviews exploring wellbeing within Scotland’s creative sector. This groundbreaking research represents the first comprehensive study examining how BPOC-led creative spaces can function as protective factors for mental health.
*We use the term racialised as it reflects a process whereby people are categorised by the white-led systems they exist within.
The Journey So Far
Creative Balance began in December 2023 as a response to the significant underrepresentation and mental health challenges facing Black People and People of Colour (BPOC) in Scotland’s creative industries. Recognising that traditional mental health services often lack cultural competence and that terms like “mental health” don’t always translate across cultures, We Are Here Scotland launched this pioneering research project to centre the voices of racialised creatives.
The project, funded by The Baring Foundation, Creative Scotland, and supported by Equal Media & Culture Centre (EMCC), started by establishing a steering group of 10 BPOC professionals – including 8 creatives and 2 healthcare professionals – who met for three intensive sessions between January and February 2024. These sessions, complemented by four individual case studies to ensure as wide a breadth of intersectional representation as possible, revealed critical insights about the unique challenges facing BPOC creatives and cultural professionals in Scotland.
“Having worked as an artist and freelancer in the arts for over a decade, I know first hand how important your wellbeing is as a creative. Often there are little, or no, provisions to help support your mental health and wellbeing within the creative industries. My hope with this project is that we can not only highlight those barriers, but also discover meaningful practices and changes that can be applied across the creative industries to better protect the wellbeing of artists & freelance workers from all backgrounds,” says Matt Hickman, Creative Balance Co-Lead.
Key Research Findings to Date
Through extensive consultation, Creative Balance identified three critical themes affecting BPOC creative communities:
- The need for safe, BPOC-led spaces (the focus of this current phase)
- Systemic change requirements in creative industries and mental health services
- Economic pressures impacting mental health
The steering group prioritised BPOC-led spaces as the first strand of research, leading to this initial phase of expanded research. Future phases will address the systemic and economic challenges identified.
Innovative Research Methodology
Creative Balance employs arts-based research methods, recognising that creative expression is the primary language of participants. The group interviews will use collage-making and mapping exercises, allowing participants to communicate complex emotional experiences that may be difficult to articulate verbally, particularly when discussing trauma, discrimination, or cultural disconnection.
“Creative processes such as collage making can create a safe container for people to explore and articulate difficult experiences. It does this by placing the power in the hands of the participants and enabling them to take ownership of their narratives,” explains Loa Pour Mirza, Research Assistant.
Group Interview Details
Who: Black, Global Majority, and racialised creatives and cultural professionals (18+) working in Scotland’s creative industries
When: September-October 2025
- Dundee: Monday 22nd September, 10am-3pm
- Aberdeen: Tuesday 23rd September, 10am-3pm
- Online: Monday 29th September, 6pm-9pm
- Glasgow: Tuesday 30th September, 10am-3pm
- Online: Monday 6th October, 6pm-9pm
- Edinburgh: Tuesday 7th October, 10am-3pm
What participants receive:
- Travel expenses and community meals (for in person groups)
- Up to 2 hours of free therapy with vetted Black and POC practitioners
- Materials for creative activities (option of posted materials for online groups)
- Aftercare pack and information for ongoing support
- A culturally responsive environment facilitated by BPOC researchers
Academic Partnership Ensures Rigour
The research benefits from academic partnership with ally Dr. Cheryl McGeachan at the University of Glasgow’s School of Geographical & Earth Sciences, ensuring methodological rigour while maintaining community-led approaches.
Expression of Interest Process
The expression of interest deadline is Monday 1st September 2025 at 5pm. Applicants will hear back by Friday 5th September at 5pm. If oversubscribed, a selection process will ensure diverse representation across intersectional identities, creative disciplines, and geographic locations.
Interested creatives and cultural professionals can submit their expression of interest through the online form at https://forms.gle/g8ytpnRyiBx2haUt6
Alternative Application Support Available If you’d prefer to apply by phone, or want to share this opportunity with someone without internet access or needing support, please call or text 07873 287666.
Those unable to attend listed dates but wanting to contribute should contact hello@creativebalance.scot.
Looking Forward
The findings from these group interviews will contribute to:
- Scotland’s first comprehensive evidence base about BPOC creative mental health
- Policy recommendations for funders and creative organisations
- Practical frameworks for establishing BPOC-led creative spaces across Scotland
About Creative Balance
Creative Balance is a research project exploring mental health and wellbeing improvements for Black People and People of Colour in Scotland’s creative industries. Shaped by the invaluable contributions of our 10-person steering group and 4 case study participants, this community-led research centres BPOC voices and expertise. Led by We Are Here Scotland with support from The Baring Foundation, Creative Scotland, and Equal Media & Culture Centre (EMCC), the project aims to generate evidence-based recommendations that will transform how Scotland’s creative sector supports racialised communities. The Creative Balance team comprises Matt Hickman (Co-Lead), Halina Rifai (Co-Lead), and Loa Pour Mirza (Research Assistant).
About We Are Here Scotland
We Are Here Scotland is a Community Interest Company founded by Ica Headlam to support and amplify Black and Global Majority creatives and cultural professionals across Scotland. Operating from Aberdeen while serving creatives nationwide, the organisation runs the Creators’ Fund+ grant programme, a creative directory launched in December 2024, the award-winning AMPLIFI music series in partnership with Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall and more.