Minding Creative Minds: wellbeing support for the music industry
Pic: Pexels/Oleg Magni
Having launched last year in response to the ongoing need for mental health and career-guidance services in Irish music, Dublin-based resource last week announced an extension of its services from musicians and performers to the entire Irish music sector.
This announcement allows freelancers and employees in the live events, management, studio production/engineering, education and specialist media aspects of Irish music access to its range of services and assistance online or over the phone.
These include a 24/7 hotline for people in Irish music to speak to a counsellor about their mental health; an online app/platform with health and well-being advice, courses and plans; and access to six counselling sessions by way of short-term intervention.
Speaking on the news, musician and IMRO chairperson Eleanor McEvoy said, “As musicians and writers, we have always been susceptible to the stresses and strains that are part and parcel of the challenging environment that we call the music industry, but never before have we faced the level of uncertainty that is now before us.
"Creative people, by our nature, have a particular set of pressures that are specific to our work and our nature. This comprehensive programme is specifically designed to cater for these issues. I have no doubt that this initiative will save lives.”
In addition, the service will provide legal assistance, financial advice, career guidance, help with citizenship matters and mediation for personal or professional conflict resolution, says Minding Creative Minds founder Dave Reid.
“This will give all musicians and people involved in all sectors of the Irish Music Sector the opportunity to mind their mental wellbeing and be able to contact qualified counsellors and experts in different fields such as financial planning, legal and career matters enabling expert advice and helping to manage personal issues they might be facing. Working in collaboration with our partner organisations, we can now provide a credible support structure for the entire sector."
The service had hoped to complete such an expansion in services by June of next year, but following the success of the EPIC Working Group's fundraising for the live events sector, including the Songs from an Empty Room initiative, the resource, a beneficiary of its fundraising, was able to complete the goal nine months early.
Speaking on the expansion of services, The Blizzards frontman and longtime mental health advocate Bressie said: “Music has always been the world’s greatest therapist, but sometimes those that provide such therapeutic comfort to others with their music, need some help of their own, and that’s why Minding Creative Minds is so crucial.”
- For more information and to access its online platform, head to mindingcreativeminds.ie
- To speak to Minding Creative Minds, 24/7, freephone 1800 814 244 in Ireland, or from Northern Ireland/the UK, freephone 0800 0903677
