Falling UP Living in Art is a 'wellbeing through art' project that consists of an artistic mentoring service, which also offers bespoke creative collaborative projects indoors in a studio at the Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline, and outdoors in local woodlands. This project originated in 'Falling UP', which was a family collaborative art-process created by Dr Drew Walker in 2016, as part of his personal recovery. This art-process subsequently developed into his art-practice for his PhD research. The name 'Falling UP' was chosen as it became the recovery journey that he embarked upon after 'falling down' into mental illness before his 'falling up' to recovery. Falling UP Living Art's process and ethos is inspired by Dr Walker's PhD research into the innovative art and healthcare system at the House of Artists in Gugging, Austria, where a group of mentally ill residential patients live as self-taught artists in a lifestyle of recovery and purpose within communal art-process in a hugely successful socially integrative process. Dr Walker's own art practice, (Falling UP) currently consists of ongoing artistic collaborations with 32 collaborators (50% of whom suffer from different degrees of mental illness). His collaborators encompass those in the medical field (psychiatrists, art therapists, psychotherapists, neurologists, occupational therapists and nurses), artists (illustrators, painters, sound artists, actors, photographers, secondary school art teachers, higher education art tutors, and designers). These collaborations have resulted in 9 Falling UP advocacy exhibitions across Scotland that explore though artistic creativity, the theme of art, mental illness and recovery. 2 of these exhibitions have taken place in the Scottish Parliament for parliamentarians and their staff. Artworks created by participants attending the Falling UP Living in Art studio were showcased during the Falling UP display at The Scottish Parliament in 2022. Dr Walker has also done did pop-up displays of participant art in Austria - at the House of Artists in Gugging and around Vienna. Since 2015, Dr Walker and his family have delivered indoor and outdoor creative activities for a diverse range of clients who suffer from different mental illnesses, such as - drug and alcohol addiction, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Schizophrenia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Learning Difficulties, Cognitive Impairments, in addition to physical difficulties (such as wheelchair dependent clients) and those with Spina Bifida. Falling UP has also worked with carers and family members of those with mental illnesses. Carers who bring clients to activities are encouraged to take part themselves as part of Falling UP's ethos of mutuality. Falling UP Living in Art activities are led by Falling UP Living in Art mentors, which consist of Dr Walker and his family (who are artists), and others who have a personal stake in art, mental illness and recovery. Participants do not require any prior experience or talent in making art. The pace of collaborative support is gentle, and at the most comfortable level for all participants.
