Safe Hubs - Music Support

Music Support has been providing Safe Hubs backstage at UK festivals since 2016.

A Safe Hub is a space where anyone working at the festival, from artist to crew, can come to speak to a Mental Health First Aider or simply take time out from the hectic pace of the event.

The Hub also provides us with an opportunity to raise awareness of our Support Services and training in Mental Health First Aid and Addiction and Recovery Awareness.

Do you think it is important for Music Support to have a presence backstage at festivals?

"Yes, very important... I think that support and a place to discuss mental health is super important for touring crew, musicians and other people in the industry.”

100%, it's a frantic busy environment, for new staff it can be overwhelming. I like that for those who are neuro-divergent, the ability to stop off somewhere to reset is important as much as it is for those in recovery. Thank you. You made an impact on so many people this year.

"Extremely so. There is a general unspoken consensus in the industry that addiction is accepted, and just standard, and that mental health just isn't considered. Crew work 15-hour days weeks on end, artists party day-in-day-out and live in a cycle of hungover or messed up. I think it's important that, whether they want it or not, they have a space to go and work on that stuff if they need.”

“Yes, because a lot of us don't get the chance to have that space away from our teams and crew to think about ourselves and our mental health.”

"What Music Support offers and stands for should always be a presence, not just at music festivals.. but at places of music..like venues, colleges and universities and music shops & guitar centres. ”

“Yes, because a lot of us don’t get the chance to have that space away from our teams and crew to think about ourselves and our mental health.”

Splodge – Main Stage Crew Chief

“What Music Support offers and stands for should always be a presence, not just at music festivals.. but at places of music..like venues, colleges and universities and music shops & guitar centres. ”

Trev Fairclough – Sound and Light

VOLUNTEER FEEDBACK:

We asked our volunteers to share their experience of representing Music Support at our Safe Hubs:

“Listening and non-judgmental communication can absolutely turn the day around and improve moods, and I think that helped get one visitor through the last hurdle when dealing with overwhelming anxiety.”

“I was able to support a lady who had recently lost her husband to addiction, she was already accessing grief counseling and trying to support a colleague with substance issues. I listened and at the end of our conversation I gave her some resources to take away and she expressed some interest in the Addiction and Recovery Workshop.”

“I feel like this charity is making a powerful change in an industry that needs it. I think the work is incredible, and the cause is essential.”

“The conversations were humble, brilliant, and honest. I loved volunteering and would do it again.”

VIRTUAL SUPPORT FOR YOUR VENUE, EVENT OR FESTIVAL:

The team at Music Support are happy to provide virtual support for the artists and crew at your venue, event or festival. Some short copy that could be included in advanced packs and/or itineraries:

If you work in the UK music industry and are experiencing substance use, addiction and/or mental health challenges (or you are supporting someone who is), you are not alone. Industry charity, Music Support, is here for you. Their confidential Helpline, run by peers with lived experience, is available Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm on 0800 030 6789 (or you can email helpline@musicsupport.org). They also offer fully-accredited training in Mental Health First Aid (of which certain freelancers can apply to do for FREE) and an inspirational Addiction and Recovery Awareness workshop (which is FREE to freelance production workers). For further information visit www.musicsupport.org

We can also provide print-ready artwork for the A5 flyer and resized as A4, A3 and A2 posters that can be displayed in key locations backstage e.g.

Production Offices
Dressing Rooms
Artist & Crew Catering
Artist & Crew loos (i.e. on the back of toilet doors)

Finally, we are happy to provide you with artwork for this small business card sized calling card providing details of Music Support’s Helpline for your own use or to make available to your industry peers (whether in an office or backstage at an event).

For further details and/or to request artwork please contact info@musicsupport.org