The Art of Anxiety, a new event for First Fortnight Festival, announces full panel

The Art of Anxiety, presented by journalist and broadcaster Nadine O'Regan (pictured right), looks at the issue of anxiety and how artists navigate their way around, and through this area during their careers and its domino effect on their creativity and lives as a whole. Nadine will be joined by acclaimed Irish artist Cathy Davey, author and psychotherapist Siobhán Murray, and arts journalist Dave Hanratty of JOE.ie

Speaking about the event, Nadine O'Regan said: "I'm delighted to be hosting this brilliant event on behalf of the First Fortnight festival. Anxiety affects so many of us at different points in our lives, and I hope this event will shed light on how people in the artistic community respond when faced with tough personal moments."

Cathy Davey will speak about her personal experience of anxiety - and how she abandoned her music career for a time in order to get her health back on track, finding a new kind of inspiration in her work with animals (she is one of the people who run the My Lovely Horse Rescue Charity).

Dave Hanratty is an arts journalist and podcaster who has written powerfully on mental health issues for publications including Joe.ie.

Siobhán Murray started her career in the music industry but was inspired to change her life when she became a single mum to her two sons. She retrained in counselling and psychotherapy, established her own clinic in 2010 and is the author of the new book The Burnout Solution (Gill Books).

The evening will be punctuated with live music performances including new Irish artist, I Have A Tribe.

Advance tickets for The Art of Anxiety are now on sale from https://firstfortnight.ticketsolve.com/shows/873597084/events

First Fortnight is an important, European-wide festival which challenges the stigma surrounding mental health. 2019 will see a unique edition of the First Fortnight festival, as Ireland has secured the right to host the Europe’s Mental Health festival. FF's presentation of this festival will showcase the vibrancy and diversity of modern Ireland with an emphasis on the European community.