Oldham youth invited to share mental health spaces for 2026

Oldham youngsters have until 20 March to tell planners exactly where they feel calm, safe, and welcome, and the answers will shape a public exhibition at The Horsfall gallery in Manchester this summer. The call-out, timed to Children's Mental Health Week, invites every child or teen to send a photo, sketch, short clip, or a few lines describing the spot that lifts their mood.

The 2026 theme, 'This Is My Place', zeroes in on friendships and belonging. Organisers at 42nd Street Mental Health Charity say they want to map the nooks, parks, youth clubs, even bedrooms where local young people feel listened to, so councils and schools can see what works and what is missing.

Entries can come from one person or an entire class. Written answers go straight to [email protected], while paintings or models need a quick email first so staff can arrange safe drop-off. Every piece will be shown online and in person during the charity's 'The Future is Ours' festival.

The goal is not just art for art's sake. Planners will treat the collection as raw evidence of which spaces nurture good mental health and which remain locked, too costly, or simply unwelcoming. That feedback loop, the charity says, could steer future youth budgets and building designs across Greater Manchester.