The And Breathe exhibition explores how people can interact with art to nurture their mental and emotional wellbeing.
It also considers the theme of care, particularly how we care for ourselves and our communities.
To understand the role a gallery can play in supporting those who care for others, Manchester Art Gallery asked the Depaul UK team to take part in a series of mindfulness sessions at the gallery.
Cathie Jones, Wellbeing Manager for the North West who coordinated Depaul’s involvement, said: “We were delighted to be asked to be a part of Manchester Art Gallery’s innovative exhibition.
“It has been a fantastic experience and our staff have benefited from weekly guided mindfulness sessions, which helped us all to relax and switch off from the stresses of our work and appreciate art.
“We were privileged to go behind the scenes to choose from pieces of art in storage and have the wonderful opportunity to discuss these pieces and how they made us feel. My hope is that the team will talk to the young people they work with about this great experience and encourage them to use this fabulous resource.”
Artworks were selected following guided mindfulness sessions at the gallery, where staff were asked to discuss how the different pieces made them feel.
The selected pieces of art are currently being displayed with an accompanying write-up from Depaul UK staff as to why they chose the piece.
The exhibition is at Manchester Art Gallery until January 2020.
For more information email Cathie Jones, Wellbeing Manager for the North West, at: [email protected]