Invitation for the project

Invitation for the project

October 10th is the World Mental Health Day. On this occasion we are inviting choirs and conductors to international educational and artistic action “MUSIC - Supporting People in Depression". 

The action aims to raise awareness about the illness the depression is and to encourage people who struggle with it to look for professional help at the specialists's and to sing in a choir as an element helping in its treatment and prevention. 

Any choir can join the action.

campaign activities may include the following:

  • Concert
  • Holy Mass with the participation of the choir
  • Open rehearsal
  • Warm-up for health - vocal workshops 
  • Other activities suggester by the participating choir

A very important element is for the participating choir contact a psychotherapeutic facility operating in your local area (this could be e.g. a therapist, a psychologist, a psychological counselling centre, a crisis centre etc.). These psychotherapeutic facilities will become your Content Partners. Except this we provide the message of the campaign’s main partner to read during all organized activities: an Open Letter that is a letter from the experts of our Strategic Partner - RUCH MAM GŁOS (I HAVE A VOICE MOVEMENT), which is a movement  represented by the conductors, psychologists, psychotherapists, scientists, business people and voice rehabilitators. 

Below we describe the aforementioned musical forms of participation in the campaign:

CONCERT - The choir may organise a public concert, but one of the very important actions should be an invitation of its Content Partner to this concert, along with all of his therapists as special guests - it is a form of appreciation for this professional group. It is also important to read the Open Letter before the concert (if a psychologist's lecture is scheduled before the concert, the Open Letter should be read after the concert).

HOLY MASS WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF THE CHOIR - The choir can sing at mass and ask the parish priest to place an announcement in the parish announcements about the choir singing on the occasion of World Mental Health Day and that depression is a fatal disease, which one shouldn't be ashamed of, but it definitely needs to be treated. It is also important to read the Open Letter after the Holy Mass.

OPEN REHEARSAL - The choir will allow new people, who would like to see what it is like to work in a vocal group, to join its regular activities. It is also important to read the Open Letter before the rehearsal (if a psychologist's lecture is scheduled before the rehearsal, the Open Letter should be read after it).

WARM-UP FOR HEALTH - VOCAL WORKSHOPS - Organising in cooperation with a selected therapeutic facility (preferably one’s Content Partner) open group singing led by a conductor or voice instructor, can be also apart from regular choir rehearsals. These classes should, if possible, take place on October 10. It is also important to read the Open Letter before a warm-up (if a psychologist's lecture is planned before a warm-up, the Open Letter should be read after it).

There are no restrictions on the number of participating choirs. The more of us, the more impact we have! Each choir can submit all proposed types of activities. 

The Chortownia Foundation will prepare thanksgiving letters and a certificate of participation after the event and will send it to participating Choirs and their Content Partners.

Chortownia and strategic partners will also ensure the coordination of all activities and they undertake to promote the entire campaign, including sharing reports sent during and after the event on their social media (please use hashtag #worldmentalhealthday).

 

DEADLINES

Events within the campaign should take place on days October 5 - 13th, 2024.

We accept applications until October 1, 2024 via the Google form: 
https://forms.gle/i3fMkJr1nJGqggEu5

Submissions are so that we can create a schedule of all events and send thanks to all choirs after the action.

STRATEGIC PARTNERS

Silesian Union of Choirs and Orchestras
www: https://szchio.pl/

World Choral Conducting Network
www: https://wccn.online/

“Mam Głos” (I have a voice) Movement
www: https://ruchmamglos.pl

 

MATERIALS TO DOWNLOAD

We would like all events within the campaign to have a consistent graphic design. That's why we have prepared templates for posters, invitations and other graphic materials for you.

Each choir that signs up will receive the following materials: 

  • Poster template in Canva to fill out with the choir’s details
  • Personal invitation templates for therapists and guests
  • Background photo template for a Facebook event
  • Open Letter to be read before the events - PDF to print
  • Press materials to be sent to local media
  • All materials are available at DOWNLOAD section

 

While publishing in the internet, please use hashtags like: #MUSICSupportingPeopleInDepression #BenefitsOfSinging #WorldMentalHealthDay

 

SUPPORT

Participation in this campaign is free, but maybe you would like to support us? Please, do! We need money to implement ideas like this. We believe that our activities make sense, bring relief to those suffering and disseminate culture in today's difficult times.

You can find different forms of supporting us in the SUPPORT section.