Mental health resources for electronic music industry launched by UK charity Mind

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UK mental health charity Mind has shared a number of resources focused on the electronic music industry.

Partnering with Ninja Tune, booking agencies POLY and Paradigm, and promoter Percolate, and marking Mental Health Awareness Week (which is running from May 10th-17th), the mental health resources are designed to provide information and support to those working across the electronic music industry, with specific guides for managers, employees and freelancers in the sector.

The resources look at how people in the sector can access support, look after their mental health and support colleagues, while also identifying problems and solutions faced by those within the industry, depending on which area they work in.

Mind says that research carried out in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic, showed that musicians are more prone to mental health problems than the general population and may be up to three times more likely to suffer from depression, and the pandemic may have exacerbated this for many with the loss of income from the events sector.

Launching the resources, Emma Mamo, head of Workplace Wellbeing at Mind, said: “We know that working in the music industry can be very rewarding and offers many opportunities. However, it comes with a unique set of challenges, including irregular hours, financial insecurity and high pressure – all of which may have an effect on people’s mental health and wellbeing. Coronavirus restrictions, Brexit, and fluctuating income have only made existing problems in the industry worse, so it’s important that people across the industry can access vital support if and when needed.

“For too long mental health problems and other related issues like alcohol and substance use within the music industry have been neglected and even normalised. Mind’s new resource has been created with contributors from every corner of the music business to make sure the information is as useful and relevant as possible to anyone working within the industry, including artists, DJs, organisers, promoters, creative freelancers and other employees. We’re grateful for their support and dedication in helping to make sure no one across the industry faces a mental health problem alone.”

A podcast, connecting Mind and the music industry, will be launched next month. You can access the four music industry-focused resource packs here.

Read DJ Mag’s 2019 feature on the mental health crisis in electronic music here.