A performance of liberation: Improving mental health and igniting social change

Theatrical performance plays a valuable role in improving mental health. This article investigates the role of performance in psychology and calls for increased acknowledgement of artist-led, performance-based initiatives. Artists are responding to individual and collective mental health needs by developing creative methods of healing and prevention that enhance self-agency, strengthen social connections and dismantle oppressive sociopolitical systems that contribute to mental ill health. Through the exploration of various interventions, including autobiographical therapeutic performance and participatory theatre for social change, this article seeks to emphasize the transformative impact of performance on our social, emotional and psychological well-being.