Pre-Awards Performance - Ben Drysdale.
Ben is an award-winning singer songwriter, Indie Folk artist, theatre practitioner and community arts worker from Canberra, Australia. After a decade and a half working in mental health community arts believing he experienced the ‘normal level of mental health challenges’ because ‘wasn’t that depressed or anxious’, Ben made the mental transition from ally to lived experience consumer in 2023 with an ADHD diagnosis at age 41. Suddenly everything made a lot more sense.

Following the international success of his debut solo single 'If I Don't Lie Down' in December, Canberra-based Indie Folk Singer/Songwriter Ben is captivating audiences once again with his award-winning sophomore single, 'Listen Now', a heartfelt tale about supporting a friend through alcoholism and dire mental health challenges. The new Indie Folk ballad debuted at #2 on the Australian Independent Record Label Association charts (trumping Kylie Minogue that week), and has received rave reviews from around the world after landing 2nd place in the 2023 Hawaii Songwriting Festival competition. 50% of Bandcamp sales will be donated to suicide prevention.

Ben’s songs span from vulnerable and visceral ballads exploring the darkness of the human condition to upbeat foot stompers full of energy and hope. He has played shows in the US, Ireland and Canada and featured on bills with some of Australia’s greatest including Paul Kelly, The Waifs and Busby Marou as well as international stars such as Chris Isaak. His music has also featured on TV shows in the US.

TheMHS Awards have been recognising excellence, innovation and best practice in mental health for 33 years. TheMHS Awards Ceremony highlights the exemplary work being done in mental health.

Join us as we celebrate 2024’s award winners!

MC: Lynne Malcolm
Lynne Malcolm is a science journalist and broadcaster with a deep passion and fascination for people, their behavior, and the workings of the human mind. She produced and presented the ABC radio program & podcast All in the Mind from 2012 -2020. In her recent book All in the Mind – fascination, inspiring and transformative stories from the forefront of brain science, she draws on her research and interviews with neuroscientists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and people with lived experience of mental health challenges to discover how new knowledge is not only changing the way we understand the brain but is also changing lives.

Lynne has been the recipient of several of TheMHS media achievement awards and has been on the judging panel of TheMHS Media Awards since 2013.