Tickets go on sale for Art of the Minds events

TICKETS are now on sale to two of the biggest events of this year’s Art of the Minds Festival in October.

The first of these will be the Shimmer & Shake fundraiser, which organisers are describing as “a mind, heart and body charity ball”.

One in five Australian adults experience a common mental illness each year, and the October 7 event – which marks the beginning of National Mental Health Week – will be a fun and inspired evening promoting mental health in our community.

All proceeds go to the festival’s official 2023 benefactor, Foundation 61.

Danni Synot will speak at the ball, which will have Wes Cusworth as MC.

Ms Synot is the founder and chief executive officer of Australian charity Brave Enough, presenter of the award-winning Beyond the Search series, and the host of the Big Brave Life radio show, which airs nationally across Australia.

She is a dynamic preacher, television, radio and podcast presenter and has featured on various networks around the globe, and is also a Christian speaker and qualified counsellor.

The event will also award the best boss in town by recognising and celebrating a local business or organisation with this year’s Mental Wellbeing Community Award.

Tickets to the ball include a three-course gourmet dinner and drinks package, live music by Lukey Luke & The Dukes, a surprise dance performance by the Shimmer Troupe, live auctions and raffles.

Later in October, media personality, author, youth advocate and former AFL player Glenn Manton will be the headline speaker at the second Big Boys Breakfast, which will help shine a light on mental illness from a male perspective.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures reveal 8.6 Australians die every day by suicide, which is more than double the road toll, and three-quarters of those who take their own lives are male.

An unknown number of Australians attempt suicide every year, with some estimates suggesting this figure may be more than 65,000.

The Big Boys Breakfast will be a morning filled with stories of lived experience from courageous and creative individuals, sharing the vulnerabilities of men in finding their strengths in Recovery.

Attendees can learn about where to reach for help and how we can support men’s mental health.

Other speakers at the breakfast, hosted by Wes Cusworth, will include:

• Kristy Steenhuis from Standby Support After Suicide
• Foundation 61 founder Rob Lytzki, and
• Art of The Minds president and principal master mental health instructor Jules Haddock.
• Shimmer & Shake will be held at Mt Duneed Estate, 65 Pettavel Road, Waurn Ponds, on October 7 from 6.30-10.30pm.
• The Big Boys’ Breakfast will be held at Torquay Bowls Club, 47 The Esplanade, Torquay on October 11 from 8-9.30am.

For tickets or more information on both events, or any of the other events in the Art of the Minds Festival, head to artoftheminds.org.au