It’s undeniable that music is vital for us all, after all, you wouldn’t be reading this article if you weren’t a music fan. As one of the most accessible art forms in our society, music allows us to express our feelings and fuels life’s many moments, from celebrations to heartbreaks and everything in between.
But who is there to support the hundreds of thousands music industry professionals – from artists, to crew, engineers and beyond – when they face hard times?
Enter: MusiCares, the leading music industry charity that works in partnership with the Recording Academy (aka the GRAMMYs). MusiCares offers support to industry professionals during their times of need. It’s easy to forget the number of people behind the scenes of our favorite concerts and albums, everyone from songwriters, sound engineers, stagehands, managers, tour bus drivers, make-up artists, live crew and everyone in between. MusiCares supports all of these individuals with programs that focus on financial assistance, mental health and addiction recovery services and hearing and vocal health clinics. i
“Our mission is to help the people behind the music because music gives so much to the world,” said Laura Segura, executive director of MusiCares.
Theresa Wolters, Vice President of Health and Human Services for MusiCares, reports that since 1989, over 134,000 music industry professionals have received over $105 million in financial assistance disbursements for health, human services, mental health and addiction recovery from MusiCares.
They aren’t alone in their mission. Supporters include Vivid Seats, a leading online ticket marketplace and the official ticketing partner of Rolling Stone. They along with numerous other organizations recognize MusiCare’s valuable work, contributing over $2 million to support the people behind the music.
Safety Net During Hard Times
Everybody needs help from time to time. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many of the struggles affecting the music industry – unemployment, addiction and lack of healthcare, among others, have led to the deaths of too many vibrant industry insiders.
COVID-19 is the latest example of how the industry needed, and continues to need public support. With venues shut down and many opportunities running dry or altogether gone, MusiCares helped numerous industry members stay afloat financially. Segura reports that as of January 2023, the MusiCares COVID-19 relief effort has reached 47,000 people, dispersing $35 million in funds.
Segura added that pandemic recovery is ongoing and has evolved. During the first part of the crisis, the relief effort’s objective was to get money into people’s hands when they critically needed it. Now, mental health services are taking priority, with mental health and substance abuse relapses as part of a litany of industry challenges.
Mental Health and Wellness
Artists can turn to MusiCares at any time for a range of support such as addiction recovery and suicide prevention.
Substance abuse recovery services include safe harbor rooms, where music professionals can attend a meeting or be in a sober space free of any potential trappings found on tour and at shows.
Education is another crucial component to helping the industry. In September 2022, the MusiCares awareness and action panel on suicide prevention brought together industry members and medical leaders to discuss self-harm and suicide. Key takeaways included a reminder that music industry professionals are human first and that a diverse array of support is available to help address mental health needs. At the same time, education focused on identifying warning signs that can help prevent tragic outcomes.
Wolters notes that one silver lining from the pandemic could be the more open conversations about mental health. She credited efforts made by “high-profile artists who have really come out speaking about the importance of mental health and protecting their own mental health” as critical voices in the conversation.
Made Possible From Wide-Ranging Support
Helping the music industry is a year-round, extensive endeavor made possible by numerous people and organizations. MusiCares couldn’t assist the industry without outside support from generous donors.
“We simply can’t do our work without those partners and those donations,” said Segura.
She added, “Essentially, we receive donations, and we’re able to give them directly right back out into the community in forms of that direct assistance.”
Those in the music community looking for support can call 800.687.4227 or email Musicaresrelief@musicares.org. Visit musicares.org to learn more or make a donation to this worthwhile cause.