When it may feel like GAME OVER, gaming helps young people to LEVEL UP their mental health and emotional well-being.
The commission
As part of the Never Give In project, ProMo-Cymru commissioned 21 artists from Cardiff aged between 11-24 to create a piece of artwork about the impacts of gaming on their mental health.
The project was funded by Cardiff Council and Cardiff Youth Service, which allowed each young person to receive £200 for their art.
How does gaming impact mental health?
The impacts of gaming on children and young people have been massively controversial over the years. However, from this commission, all the young people were extremely positive about the effects of gaming on their mental health and emotional well-being.
For many artists, gaming is key to making new friends and maintaining existing friendships. Some young people expressed how it was vital when socialising during the pandemic through the various lockdowns. Others shared how gaming developed their social skills, built confidence, and fostered creativity. Gaming has also provided a safe space to explore identity, as well as being a place to escape reality.
The campaign
To showcase these incredible artists and their art, we’ve created the Never Give In campaign. To see the art pieces created in person, head on over to the Good Game Café where they will be on display until at least 18th April 2022. You can also see pictures of the art in their individual artist blogs which are filled with information about the artists and the inspiration behind their masterpieces. Check out these blogs by clicking on the links below:
- Saabiqah Tariq Khan, 15
- Auryn John Paul Austin, 20
- Mia Capener-Jones, 16
- Lily Gallop, 12
- Nalani Angel Hallam, 16
- Llian Susan Hubbard, 19
- Willow Brailsford, 14
- Eleri Davies, 12
- Leon Hollis, 22
- Farah Thomas, 14
- Jordan Smith, 24
- Eshaan Niraj Rajesh Kumar, 18
- Logan Fegan, 11
- Ace Shingles, 17
- Enfys Evans, 15
- Callum Mackie, 15
- Paolo Bini, 13
- Jacob O’Mara, 11
- Kallie-Ann Norris, 19
- Ella Williams, 15
- Alicia Gil-Cervantes, 18
Related Information
Struggling with your mental health? Check out TheSprout’s Mental Health Information Page where you can find loads of useful info on local and national support services.
Cardiff Youth Service host a gaming club for 11 to 16 year olds at the Good Game Café on Monday nights, 5-7:30pm during term time. Anyone is welcome to turn up on the night, check it out and get involved.
If you’re sharing our posts from the Never Give In campaign on social media, remember to use the #PositiveMentalGaming hashtag.
