Between Two Curtains

"Between Two Curtains" is a podcast by RED NOSES International that explores the vital intersection of arts, humour and mental health. We move beyond the ‘red nose’ to host deep, meaningful dialogues with artists, researchers and global experts and examine why humour and the arts are essential tools for emotional wellbeing, especially in difficult times. Whether you are a professional in the healthcare sector, a supporter of social impact or simply someone looking for hope-driven narratives, join us as we pull back the curtain on the serious side of laughter.

Based in Vienna, Austria, RED NOSES International has spent more than three decades bringing moments of joy and human connection to those facing challenging circumstances. What began as a local initiative has grown into the world’s largest healthcare clowning organisation, with 11 local RED NOSES organisations delivering expert artistic interventions. Together, we provide critical psychosocial support in hospitals, care homes, rehabilitation centres and displacement settings.

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Latest episodes

What is the art of clowning, really?

‧ 33m 23s

In this episode of Between Two Curtains, we are joined by Lukáš Houdek, a clowning coach and teacher who's spent 25 years as a clown artist himself. We get into what the art of clowning actually takes: the years of training, the craft, and the difference between a trained artist and someone who's just being funny—and why that same professionalism is demanded whether a clown artists is walking into a children's hospital, a care home or a crisis setting.

Lukáš also opens up the clown's strange relationship with obstacles, and keeps coming back to one deceptively simple question: are we...

Are the arts a missing link in European Mental Health Care?

‧ 36m 20s

Welcome to a new 'Between Two Curtains' podcast episode, produced by RED NOSES International as part of our activities for European Mental Health Week 2026 – this year under the theme Stronger Together: Prioritise Mental Health in a Changing Europe.

Are the arts a missing link in European Mental Health Care? That is the question we are putting on the table today; and to explore it, we are joined by Ameer Shaheed, an arts and health consultant based in Switzerland, working with the World Health Organization, the Jameel Arts and Health Lab, and the European Commission. He combines a PhD...

A different view on leadership: International Women’s Day special

‧ 26m 8s

Is leadership in the humanitarian sector just about strategy, or is it also about the heart?
For International Women's Day, we’re joined by RED NOSES International CEO, Natalie Porias. We’re diving into what it means to lead an international organisation at the intersection of arts and health, and why staying 'human' is the most professional thing a leader can do. This is Episode 1 of "Between Two Curtains".

Trailer - Between Two Curtains

‧ 1m 30s