21 young artists from Cardiff have all said that Gaming has improved their mental health. In the Never Give In project funded by Cardiff Council and Cardiff Youth Service, 21 Cardiff artists aged 11-24 created a piece of artwork about the impacts of gaming on their mental health.
The impacts of gaming on children and young people have been quite controversial over the years. However, from this commission, all the young people were extremely positive about the effects of gaming on their mental health and emotional well-being.
For many artists, gaming is key to making new friends and maintaining existing friendships. Some young people expressed how it was vital when socialising during the pandemic through the various lockdowns. Others shared how gaming developed their social skills, built confidence, and fostered creativity. Gaming has also provided a safe space to explore identity, as well as being a place to escape reality.
To showcase the incredible artists and their art, the Never Give In campaign features blogs filled with information about the artists, their art and the inspiration behind their masterpieces.
Cardiff Youth Service also held a showcase event were all the artists and their friends and family came along. It was also a chance to promote mental health support services for young people. The art work will now be on display for one month at the Good Game Café on Tudor Street, open Tuesday to Saturday.
Read more about the Never Give In project including the young artists’ blogs here!