Previous festivals
Mental Wealth Festival 2024
2024 marked the tenth anniversary of the Mental Wealth Festival, taking place from the 10th-12th of October. To celebrate the occasion, City Lit reflected on the last decade, inviting back some familar faces and welcoming some new contributors. Once again, the college put on a selection of talks, panels, workshops and performances all in the name of restoring, supporting and enhancing our mental health.
Mental Wealth Festival 2023
This year, the festival focused on connections, exploring ways that connection supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing and celebrating the numerous ways in which we connect with others, ourselves, and the world around us through a series of free or low-fee events including talks, panel discussions, and workshops.
Mental Wealth Festival 2022
Launching on World Mental Health Day, City Lit’s eighth Mental Wealth Festival took place from 10th-14th October and this year the focus was on the importance of time. The programme of events inspired people to dedicate time to self-care and wellbeing, whether through learning and self-development, spending time with loved ones or engaging in new activities.
Mental Wealth Festival 2021
The seventh edition of the Mental Wealth Festival took place from 10th–15th October online, at City Lit and across other venues in London. The Festival provided a forum for informative, challenging and inspiring discussions and workshops focusing on ‘Positive Impact’, and ways to adapt to the changes in our relationships with ourselves, other people, work, home, and the communities in which we live.
Mental Wealth Festival 2020
The sixth edition of the Mental Wealth Festival took place in an online format from 5th–10th October, coinciding with World Mental Health Day on 10th October. This year's theme was Recovery and we offered inspiring discussions, debates and interactive workshops focusing on the journey of recovery, resilience, and healing, sharing tools and strategies to support this.
Mental Wealth Festival 2019
The fifth edition of the Mental Wealth Festival ran in October 2019 to coincide with World Mental Health Day on 10th October 2019. We focussed on relationships, family, friendship and the importance of community and support networks.
Mental Wealth Festival 2018
In 2018 we celebrated many aspects of life including personal development, home, work and the community. We explored energy and wellbeing, personal stories, recovery (mental health awareness, coping with pressure and stress) and suicide prevention.
Mental Wealth Festival 2017
This year included talks, debates and workshops by more than 100 contributors, from politicians to health sector innovators, mental health campaigners to business leaders, to famous arts institutions and leading charities. The event was hosted by Baroness Sheila Hollins.
Mental Wealth Festival 2016
The Mental Wealth Festival 2016 included inspiring talks and contributions by comedian and mental wellbeing advocate Ruby Wax, film star and Hacked Off campaigner Hugh Grant, writer and communicator Alastair Campbell and authors Paul Dolan and Toby Litt.
Mental Wealth Festival 2015
Meet the actors, dancers, authors, artists and academics living with dyslexia in the brand new podcast series Move Beyond Words with hosts Charlotte Edmonds and Elizabeth Arifien. As two dyslexic creatives, Charlotte and Elizabeth want to start a conversation about it and share our journey...from the challenges to the countless rewards.