Birmingham Centre for Arts Therapies (BCAT)

The Birmingham Centre for Arts Therapies (BCAT) is a registered charity which was set up in 1993 to provide an accessible arts therapies, and more recently an arts in health service throughout the Midlands. We assist children and adults who are experiencing mental health, physical, behavioural or emotional issues with arts therapies, and we also work closely with our community partners across Birmingham to support the health and wellbeing of citizens using art, dance, drama, music and play.

The centre, a former Cadbury building, is unique in that it brings together art, drama, music, dance movement and play therapy.

BCAT are passionate about people and how arts therapies can be applied to aid mental health and physical issues, and how communities can also benefit therapeutically from arts in health intervention.

Being a pioneer and leader in establishing arts therapies as an alternative and complimentary intervention has been a goal for our charity for the past 25 years. We put people and communities in front of profit and are able to offer a number of subsidised services thanks to our generous funders and available grants.

Research
Latest news on arts therapies and arts in health

Art therapy and its effects on the Brain and Body Image

Relationship, Art therapy and Body Image

Connecting Mind and Body through DMT

Body drama: the utilisation of drama therapy for the exploration and treatment of negative body image

Dramatherapy for eating disorder treatment

Music therapy enhances eating disorder treatments

Supporting arts in health in libraries - evaluating BCAT's impact

Can mindfulness Improve well-being in the workplace?

Why should we fund arts therapy

Tweets by @mailbcat

PROJECTS FOR 2020

Preventing escalating mental health issues
funded by Birmingham City Council

What is available?
12 weeks free arts therapies programme with qualified professional arts therapists

Up to 5 free arts in health and well-being workshops for CVS

For therapy - Referrals are open to all Birmingham based adults suffering from emotional, behavioural or mental health problems and effects of stress and trauma.

For arts in health - Referrals are open to all CVS organisations supporting mental health.

Speak to us on 0121 440 8273 or
email talktous@bcat.info

BCAT in the community

Jani modelling a BCAT t-shirt!

Thank you LoveBrum!

Masking up at Northfield library STARZ! Roooaar!

Celebrating BCAT's good news with STEP ON Frankley

At Kings Norton Library STARZ - learning about Roald Dahl

Services

Book an arts therapist

Book an arts in health facilitator for your workshops

Art installations and graphic design service

Training days for the workplace

Free lottery funded English as an Additional Language and arts in health project

BCAT diary of events

January
dates tbc

February
dates tbc

Hello from us at BCAT!

January artSpeak now out!
CLICK HERE TO READ

BCAT arts experientials and courses

If you are looking to gain the necessary knowledge before completing an advanced course in art therapy or arts in health; or are looking for new techniques that therapists use to apply to your own work, then BCATs courses will be of interest. Our 2019 courses in ART, DANCE, DRAMA,, MUSIC and ARTS IN HEALTH are now available to book.

Book on any of our courses through Eventbrite

Further details here.

'Liz was very good . She taught us different strategies to use with patients or participants. It was definitely new and a useful insight into drama therapy so I would say a thumbs up.'
Sajida, Autumn Intro to Dramatherapy Course 2019

'Amelia was very engaging and pitched the course at the right level...I have been wanting to do this for ages and it has given me the push to apply for Dance Therapy.'
Anne, Autumn Dance Movement Course 2017
'I thought the course was informative and inspiring. Angela was particularly knowledgeable and enthusing.'
Susie, Spring Music Experiential 2017

Do you have time to volunteer with BCAT?
We are very lucky here at BCAT to work with fantastic volunteers from all walks of life.

At the moment we are looking for volunteers to help with fundraising, and any experienced arts facilitators for paid workshops.

If you would like to join our Volunteer Development Programme (VDP) please contact richardmole@bcat.info

Bringing arts therapies to the workplace
Our interactive, engaging and fun training days are designed to educate and inform on the techniques that therapists use in each discipline to address their clients needs. These techniques can be used for a number of employee needs including building confidence; coping with stress and anxiety; presentation skills; team building and relations, or providing a therapeutic session designed to improve the overall health and well-being of your employees.
If you would like further details
please click here.

Donate to BCAT

Shop and donate to BCAT!

Text BCAT £1 to 70070 to support our POUND FOR ARTS campaign. You can donate up to £10.

Make a donation, start your own fundraising. join our monthly BCAT Friends programme.

Recycle your ink cartridges and raise money for BCAT

“It was not only the children who benefited from the Arts Therapies sessions! Their parents also participated and gained considerable new insight into their children’s behaviours and how strategies might be developed to facilitate greater understanding between themselves and their children. We hope that BCAT can continue to find sufficient funding to continue to work with us”.
Manager of under 5yrs. Child Development Centre

Thank you to our supporters