Welcome from Ron Coleman

 

Scottish Dementia Arts Festival in Edinburgh

Welcome to Deepness Dementia Arts!

Here, you'll see the Arts through the eyes of people living with dementia. We're always looking forward to getting started on the next project.   After the huge success of the Scottish Dementia Arts Festivals in Stirling (2025), Edinburgh (2024) and Inverness (2023).  We are super excited to already starting planning for our fourth Scottish Dementia Arts Festival taking place in Dundee in 2026.  This is going to be even bigger and better, to the previous three. 

Our Dementia Art Festivals showcase the best of music, theatre, poetry and film, all produced by those diagnosed with dementia.  We're here to dispel stigma – just because you've received the diagnosis, that doesn't have to stop you from making the most of life and expressing your creativity!  

To be the first to hear about all our plans, sign-up to our monthly newsletter, published by Deepness Dementia, written and edited by people living with dementia.

Sign up to our Monthly Newsletter

 

 

Dementia Arts Festival 2025

The Scottish Dementia Arts Festival 2025 took place in September 2025 in Stirling.  A festival celebrating the very best creative minds, at the McRoberts Centre at Stirling University.   A gathering with so many passionate, creative souls, family members, care partners, artists and of course artists living with dementia, all united by a belief in the transformative power of the arts.  This festival was not just an event; it was a testament to the possibilities that open up when we put creativity and connection at the heart of dementia care.

We will soon begin planning for the Scottish Dementia Arts Festival 2026 taking place in Dundee.  To find out more, click on the link below.

The Festival 

            

The Demented Poets

On Scottish Tour, November 2025 to January 2026

This film is a moving personal story about family, creativity, connection, love and humanity

The Demented Poets is a documentary about a filmmaker who embarks on a personal journey after discovering that his father has dementia.  He meets Ron Coleman, who proudly calls himself "The Demented Poet", and uses creativity to express and challenge how he lives with his condition.  Ron introduces us to other dementia activists/artists in Scotland as they put on Scotland's first Dementia Arts Festival.  We see how people living with dementia can produce meaningful art and how this helps with the illness. 

More about the Tour

interpretive dancing on stage in inverness

 

Plays

Caught in This Moment of Time

A humorous and deeply moving two-act play about one man's attempts to use Alexa to retain his autonomy, despite being diagnosed with dementia. Each performance is followed by a Q&A with the writer and cast, to address the issues examined in the piece.

 

More Plays 

 

Ron and Karen outside the Wobbly dog cafe

 

Films

In addition to our other creative outlets, we're avid film-makers, too. View our short film collection at the link below. Every piece has been made by or in collaboration with people with dementia, their families and supporters. Fancy a look?

Watch Now

Live poetry night

 

Other Activities

There's always something going on with Deepness Dementia Arts – festivals in Inverness, local plays, painting workshops, poetry recitals and more. To keep up-to-date on all the goings-on, just visit the link below. If you sign up to our mailing list, you'll get updates whenever there's news!

Other Activities    Join Mailing List

 

 

Listen to “Poetry in Motion” and “The Demented Poets EP” now

Have A Listen

 

 

 

Want to Stay in The Loop? Sign up to the Deepness Dementia newsletter today to keep on top of all the happening in our community.

 

 

 

Get Involved With the Festival!

Deepness Dementia Arts Festival 2024 in Edinburgh is gearing up for November 2024.  We are currently looking for new acts, plays, films, musicians and other creatives to get involved and share their talent! The best news? If you have dementia or are a family member or supporter of someone who does, it's completely free!

Take Part

01851 810 789

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