15th anniversary of Hearts & Minds Clowndoctors
Hearts and Minds, a Scottish theatre company focusing on well-being, has released a film about its Clowndoctors programme, in which performing artists work with vulnerable children in hospital care.
Hearts & Minds : Behind The Nose from Neoneight on Vimeo.
The film marks the 15th anniversary of Clowndoctors, but also features the Elderflowers, a group of professional performers who provide a similar programme for dementia patients. Dementia patients often deteriorate faster due to a lack of social stimuli. Visits from the Elderflowers provide social interactions and focus on patients’ life histories to support their well-being.
The half-hour documentary details the work of performers and gives a view behind the scenes with artists and staff to better understand their training and work.
Magdalena Schamberger, the CEO and Artistic Director of Hearts and Minds, was recently awarded a Breakthrough Fund grant of £250,000 to pursue new avenues in the company’s work. She founded Hearts and Minds in 1997 with the aim of placing well-being at the centre of the company’s mission – contrasting with other groups for whom such work is a side activity.
