29/09/2026
ARE YOU ALRIGHT MATE?
Local men invited to become the faces and voices of a new railway station art project
A Devon arts organisation is inviting men to help make a new public art installation to start a conversation about preventing su***de - and it all starts with one simple question: Are you alright mate?
That’s the question at the heart of a new project from Devon-based Alright Mate? CIC, which will see real local men become the faces and voices of a striking new installation at railway stations in January 2027.
The project, also called ARE YOU ALRIGHT MATE?, will use large-scale black and white portraits and recorded stories to create an unexpected opportunity for people to stop, look and think about how they - and the people around them - are really doing.
Alright Mate? is now inviting men from across the local area to take part in a series of one-toone interview and photography sessions taking place in Newton Abbot, Paignton and Torquay this October.
The project is being funded by Great Western Railway, with support from Samaritans, Andy’s Man Club and Pete’s Dragons.
15 men. 15 stories. One question.
Fifteen men will be invited to sit down for an individual 1.5 hour session with the Alright Mate? Team. They will be interviewed about their experiences of mental health, difficult periods in their lives, isolation, connection and the things that have helped them through.
They will then either have their portrait taken or, for those who would prefer not to have their face used in the final installation, have the opportunity to work with a wet plate photographer to create an alternative image.
The portraits and stories will form the basis of the final railway station installation, with QR codes allowing passers-by to listen to recordings of the men's stories. Rather than focusing solely on the difficult moments, the project is looking for honest and hopeful stories about finding a way through.
The intention is simple: to put real people and real experiences into a very public space and remind anyone who sees them that they aren't the only person who has struggled, felt isolated or found things difficult.
Workshops taking place this October
Alright Mate? is offering five individual spaces at each of three workshops:
Newton Abbot - Sat 3 Oct 2026 | 10am–5pm | River End, The Maltings, Teign Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 4AA
Paignton - Fri 9 Oct 2026 | 10.30am–5pm | People's Parkfield Community Hub, 38 Esplanade Rd, Paignton, TQ3 2NH
Torquay - Sat 17 Oct 2026 | 10.30am–5pm | Pete's Dragons, The White House, 42–44 The Terrace, Torquay, TQ1 1DE
Each experience lasts approximately 1.5 hours and is conducted on an individual basis.
Places must be booked in advance, and are available on a suggested donation basis, from £5. Booking link: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/alright-mate-cic-29132420377
Participants don't need to be used to talking about mental health, and they don't need to consider themselves an ‘expert’ in anything. The project is about giving men the opportunity to talk honestly about their experiences, to potentially help someone else to do the same.
From comedy in a car to stories on a station platform
ARE YOU ALRIGHT MATE? is the latest in a series of creative projects from Alright Mate? CIC, which uses art, performance, photography and social activities to create new ways for men to connect and talk.
Its previous project, Blind Spot, was created from interviews with men living in Devon and used humour and an unusual performance setting to explore some of the barriers men can face when trying to open up about their feelings.
The organisation has also taken its work into football grounds, barbershops, pubs and other familiar community spaces, deliberately putting conversations about men's mental health somewhere people might not expect to find them.
With ARE YOU ALRIGHT MATE?, the setting is changing again. This time, the conversation will take place in a railway station.
Cally Hayes, Director of Alright Mate? CIC, said:
“We’re interested in the moments when people don't necessarily expect to be talking about mental health. A railway station is somewhere people pass through every day. You might be rushing for a train, waiting on a platform or heading home after work. Then suddenly you see a face looking back at you and a very simple question: ‘Are you alright mate?’
We want to fill that space with real people and real stories. Not perfect stories, and not stories that have all the answers - just honest experiences that might make somebody stop for a moment and think about themselves or someone they know.
If one of those stories makes it easier for someone to start a conversation, then that's a really positive thing.”
The project has been developed with partner organisations and people with lived experience, helping to ensure that the stories are collected and presented sensitively and that people encountering the installation can find appropriate sources of further support.
The finished installation is planned for Newton Abbot and Paignton railway stations from January 2027, with the ambition for the artwork to remain in place long-term.
Because the question doesn't really have an expiry date.
Are you alright mate?
