Dancing Along the Borderline – using art to destigmatise BPD

Working collaboratively with mental health professionals, researchers, other artists and sufferers of BPD, the business offers alternative arts and health representations, interventions and training courses that contribute towards changing perceptions and treatment of the disorder.

Lynn was part of the inaugural RGU Creative Accelerator, a 12-week programme which was set up to support and fund start-up teams in Scotland in a range of creative industries.

“Haven spend the last two years developing new skills and gaining new knowledge, the Creative Accelerator programme has given more clarity on how to drive my business forward by setting down practical action-based goals,” Lynn commented.

“Overall the experience has been enlightening. The content of the course has covered a wide range of different subjects associated with the creative industries as well as business models, presentations from previous creative professionals whom have started their own businesses and ongoing mentoring.”

Lynn, a choreographer and mental health and arts advocate, who has recently completed her MEd in Learning and Teaching in the Performing Arts, at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, found her time on the Accelerator to be enlightening and has taken her business from dream to reality.

“The spirit of the programme was very inspiring, and people focused. Creatives are often great dreamers; we were encouraged to keep the mindset of being creative but given a practical toolbox to make our ‘business vision’ a reality.

“Dancing Along the Borderline is a service-based organisation as opposed to a physical product-based business so it took me a while to get my head around the fact that there is a real desire for the type of work I am developing. With encouragement and guidance, I now have a clear vision of how to move forward.

Dancing Along the Borderline aims to engage with people who have lived experience of Borderline Personality Disorder, educators, academics, therapists and charitable organisations using dance, film and other art forms as the vehicle. The aim is to offer a range of training resources, creative workshops, film screenings and multi arts representations. 

Lynn has been encouraged by the RGU programme, which is offering business pathways to other creatives and showing youngsters that there are routes available to them in the art world.

“Creativity is often undervalued in businesses, society and education. Having access to this kind of initiative acknowledges, celebrates and nurtures local makers and creators, while highlighting the possibilities and potential for other people to turn their own creative ideas into a reality.

“The creative industries are often overlooked as a profession pathway for young people to pursue, however knowing they there are local opportunities such as the Creative Accelerator initiatives gives them something to strive towards.

“Prior to stating the Creative Accelerator, I had just completed a MEd in Performing Arts which focused on the creative and academic side of my work. Having now gained new business skills as a result of this course I am full of excitement at the prospect of taking all this new knowledge forward.

“I have started working alongside other collaborators and ready to embark in a new phase in my work.”