Cracks in the Façade
Men come together through art to explore loneliness, pressure and vulnerability. See how Cracks in the Façade is helping communities talk more openly about mental health.
Episode will release on the 6th November 2026
Why do so many men feel they have to keep their worries to themselves?
Cracks in the Façade explores men’s mental health, loneliness and the pressures that can make it difficult to talk openly about vulnerability.
The project brings together researchers from the University of Sheffield, artist Alastair Flindall, Neck of the Wood studio and men from communities in Sheffield. Through workshops and conversations, participants used personal images, objects and words to create a large collaged artwork that reflects experiences often hidden from view.
The research behind the project looks at the pressures men can face at different stages of life, from money and work to family responsibilities, social expectations and inequality. It also considers the role that community groups and local spaces can play in supporting men’s mental health and wellbeing.
In this podcast, the people behind Cracks in the Façade discuss the research, the conversations that shaped the project and how those ideas became an artwork for Festival of the Mind.
They also explore masculinity, mental health stigma and why creating spaces where men can talk, listen and make things together can help bring difficult experiences into the open.
Credits
- Researcher: Hinna Abid (PhD Candidate at the University of Sheffield)
- Artist: Alastair Flindall
- Podcast Recording & Editing: Kitty Turner
- Podcast Producer: David Heath (Digital Engagement Officer at the University of Sheffield)
