This article highlights the work of Out of Sight, Out of Mind (OOSOOM), an annual arts exhibition facilitated by CAPS Independent Advocacy as part of their Arts As Advocacy project. Now in its 13th year, OOSOOM has become a cornerstone of Edinburgh’s cultural and advocacy calendar, providing a platform for people with lived experience of mental ill health to share their stories through the arts.
CAPS’s commitment to inclusive, person-centred and trauma-informed practice is evident throughout every aspect of OOSOOM — from its accessible venue design to its volunteer-led Planning Group, who draw on their own lived experience to shape the exhibition each year. OOSOOM demonstrates that art can be a powerful vehicle for collective advocacy, centring people’s stories and driving real change. However, with funding cuts threatening its future, the continuation of this vital community space remains uncertain.
If you want to support this work, CAPS have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help make the 14th Out of Sight, Out of Mind exhibition happen in October 2026.
Learn more about the Out of Sight, Out of Mind exhibition here.
