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But with more than 200 events, and everyone from Karine Polwart to Jackie Kay on the line-up, it's rapidly becoming one of the most sought after gigs to be seen at.

The title suggests something much more prescriptive than it is but in just three years, the festival has grown from a weekend of film aimed at encouraging discussion of mental health issues to three weeks of films, artworks and live performance.

Some like Emma Pollock, of the Delgados, took her own mental health as the starting point.

Music was therapy for her when she suffered post-natal depression.

"Getting back in the studio and doing something creative, sorted me out," she says.

"I think being active and creative is really helpful and to be involved in something like this is great."

And she's keen to share that experience with others through the Fruit Tree Foundation - a collaboration of musicians who this weekend launch their first album together.

"None of us are experts," she says," but through our own experiences and those of people around us, we understood what it felt like and how important is was to share that experience."

The festival hopes by promoting the feelgood factor, they'll shake off the stigma which often accompanies mental health issues.

It's estimated to affect one in four people - and musicians are no better than anyone else at talking about it, even if depression is often perceived as a catalyst for the best songs.

"That's the irony," says Rod Jones of the band Idlewild.

"People are often most productive when they're down. And there are always going to be links between mental health and the arts - because so much of what we do is an expression of self and everyone at some point will experience it directly, or through someone close to them."

"There's a real stigma about talking about it - and depression in particular is very isolating - so if this gets people to talk, then that's important."

Director Lee Knifton says he's anxous to ensure the programming remains light in its touch - indeed, much of the work is programmed because it's feel-good rather than promoting an obvious social message.

They're also deliberately taking it out of conventional venues into pubs and shopping centres, where people are more likely to stop and look, and get involved. And that's just the starting point.

"We do get a lot of people coming to talk to us afterwards," he says.

"Often, they say it's a 'friend' who's concerned and we listen and help direct them on.

"It also means there are a lot of people who wouldn't normally work together, coming together for the festival and continuing links all year round.

"Like the Citizens Theatre and the NHS - who now work together and have those links with each other."

As for the Fruit Tree Foundation, they'll launch their album this weekend at gigs in Edinburgh and Glasgow - an exclusive for fans, as it's only available there.

But two tracks - I Forgot the Fall by Rod Jones and Scott Hutchison and Favourite Son by Emma Pollock, Jill O'Sullivan and James Graham are available as free downloads at www.fruitreefoundation.com.