ARTISTS across the borough still have time to enter this year’s Dawn Jones Art Prize, which invites entries from people with experience of mental health.

Entrants must submit their work to Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust by Tuesday, September 1, for a chance to win one of two £100 prizes, plus exhibition time in the boroughs.

Now in its second year of being hosted by the trust, the competition was set up by Maureen Jones nine years ago in memory of her daughter Dawn.

Dawn tragically committed suicide in 2005, at the age of 25, following a long battle with depression.

Entries into two categories – ‘what makes me happy’ and ‘what I am hopeful for’ – are invited from anyone with experience of mental ill-health, whether that’s personal experience of problems, caring for someone with problems or working in the area.

Danielle Oum, chairman of the trust, said: “We’re really pleased to be supporting this competition, which we hope will raise awareness of mental health issues and reduce the stigma that is often associated with them.

“We know that art can be therapeutic for many people, and we’d like to encourage anyone with an interest in art – whether as a beginner or as someone more experienced – to get involved.”

Full competition guidelines can be found at www.dwmh.nhs.uk/artprize.