Event Info
Check Yer Head! Mental Health + The Music Industry
Panel discussion on mental health issues facing music industry workers.
2:00pm - 3:00pm Doors at: 1:30pm
Event Description
Musicians and arts workers are faced with a barrage of issues, often with little guidance or support. Making money, finding affordable places to live, continual late nights, too much booze, not enough sleep, crappy food, post-tour anxiety/depression - these are just a few things musicians face on a regular basis. Combine these things with a pandemic that shut down the music industry and it's a recipe for disaster. This panel will deep-dive into some of the most common mental health issues faced by the music industry, exploring the causes behind these issues and present a variety of solutions that artists, managers, and the industry at large can implement to better care for the mental health of themselves and those around them.
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MELANIE BRULÉE (Ottawa Music Coalition):
Melanie Brulée is an award-winning Franco-Ontarian artist, community leader, and mental health advocate born and raised in Cornwall Ontario. While her musical journey began busking on the streets of Australia, she now embodies multiple facets of the arts sector, taking a step away from the stage to amplify the music industry's underrepresented voice as the new executive director at the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition (OMIC).
In addition to years of performing and touring, Melanie has worked as a consultant, mentor, booking and PR agent, and radio promoter for Indigenous artists. Her passion for collaboration and advocacy has led her to initiate numerous projects including founding a women-led collective of songwriters, fundraising and speaking on behalf of mental health organizations, and developing youth workshops on songwriting and self-confidence. In her work as a dynamic organizer and facilitator, Melanie’s purpose is to connect, unite, and empower the communities around her.
ADAM STURGEON (Status/Non-Status):
Adam Sturgeon is an Anishinaabe community worker and artist. Getting his start in the underground scene, today Adam's musical works - Ombiigizi and Status/Non-Status - are nationally renowned acts. Regular radio airplay, Polaris Prize shortlists, Socan Songwriter of the year and Juno nominations are no small feats, though Adam always remembers his roots in the DIY and local scenes.
KELLY-ANNE VANDER MEER (moderator):
Kelly-Anne is a certified music therapist, crisis counsellor, meditation instructor, and a coach-healer. She works across a variety of healing modalities to bring people closer to a state of balance, flow, wellness, and connection. A member of the Canadian Association of Music Therapists (CAMT), she holds a Bachelor of Music from Queen’s University, a Master of Arts in Ethnomusicology from the University of Toronto, and a Graduate Certificate of Music Therapy from Concordia University. She is also an advanced trainee in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music.
Kelly-Anne’s approach blends traditional counselling with the healing power of the music resulting in personal growth, deeper self-awareness, and heightened clarity for her clients. For well over a decade, Kelly-Anne has worked with clients with a range of abilities and needs including people on the autism spectrum, end-of-life care, and trauma. She has also supervised many talented music therapy students and she is part-time faculty at Concordia University.
In-Person Event
Sat. June 3rd 2023 + Add to Calendar
The Broom Factory
