The Catherine McEwan Foundation has enlisted creative agency MadeBrave for its World IBD Campaign starring Britpoppers, Starsailor
The reimagined festival toilet popped up in Glasgow this week, inviting the public to “sit with” the realities of life with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The experience took place outside the iconic music venue, SWG3, where thousands of festivalgoers took part raising invaluable awareness for the condition.
The purple portaloo was designed to raise awareness of IBD – a group of chronic, often invisible conditions that include Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, affecting more than 1 in 100 people in Scotland.
On the surface, the installation resembled a typical portable toilet. But inside, it was transformed into an immersive space. The seat became a cinema chair, and the walls were lined with bold, fly-poster-style facts. When the door closed, a short film featuring video messages from Britpoppers Starsailor – along with other musicians including Robyn Red and Callum Beattie, began shining a light on the often-unseen struggles of those living with IBD.
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This installation, which will tour other festivals over the summer, aimed to challenge public perceptions about IBD and highlight the daily struggles that people living with these conditions face, particularly when it comes to events like festivals, where the simple act of finding a toilet can become a stressful and isolating experience.
MadeBrave creative director, Jamie Axford, said: “What’s more iconic than a festival portaloo? We took something that’s instantly familiar to everyone and turned it into an OOH physical experience, encouraging people to stop, think, and feel. To “sit with” the hard facts around IBD and spark awareness.
“Who would have thought that a portaloo can become a new form of outdoor media? With the help of Jack Arts we made something with real standout, and engaged a festival audience with a meaningful piece of work in the health and charity space.”
The Catherine McEwan Foundation, which supports individuals and families affected by IBD across Scotland, is known for its creative approach to awareness-raising. Last year, it hit the headlines when it installed a giant toilet roll billboard in Glasgow city centre – another project made in partnership with MadeBrave.
Derek McEwan, who founded the charity in 2003 in memory of his mother, Catherine, said the campaign aims to challenge public perception of what it’s like to live with the disease. He said: “Even things that are meant to be fun, like going to a music festival, can become a source of stress. Many people with IBD just don’t go. The fear of flare-ups, access to toilets, the planning is exhausting.
“We created this space to help people stop, think, and understand. For some, a festival loo is something to avoid. For others, it’s the reason they miss out entirely.
IBD affects around 500,000 people in the UK, with incidence rates in Scotland among the highest in the world. The condition can cause chronic pain, fatigue, weight loss, and anxiety, and often requires long-term medication, hospitalisation, or surgery.
The foundation funds support services for patients across Scotland. It hopes this campaign will challenge stigma and bring the realities of IBD into the public eye.
