A message from First Forthnight

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June 04, 2020

Dear friends,

We're proud to announce the launch of this essential service and to be collaborating with so many leaders in the field...

Launching Minding Creative Minds (MCM)

A 24/7 wellbeing support programme for the Irish Music Sector
is now live

First dedicated wellbeing support programme for the Irish Music Sector

Assisting the creative community through COVID-19 challenges and beyond

Following a number of years of planning it is announced today that phase one of Minding Creative Minds (MCM) will launch on June 3rd 2020.
In a first of its kind for Ireland’s creative sector, Minding Creative Minds (MCM) is a free 24/7 wellbeing support programme for the Irish Music Sector, delivered by Spectrum Life.

How does the service work?
This initial phase of Minding Creative Minds, a free 24/7 Wellbeing and support programme will go live to musicians, songwriters, artist managers and event production crew. MCM is a Mental Wellbeing Support Programme and will include access to the following Wellbeing services.

24/7 Dedicated Phone Line (Phone 1800 814 244) (Calling from NI - 0800 0903677)

Counselling Service (Short term intervention / Up to 6 Sessions)

Telephone Counselling

Secure Video Counselling

Extensive Web Portal & App enabling live chat function with a counsellor

In addition to the mental health support system offered, Minding Creative Minds wishes to look at the whole individual resulting in the programme also offering access to a number of additional services structured to help users with various issues they may face such as:

Advice on practical, day-to-day issues that cause anxiety and stress

Legal Assistance for a range of issues

Financial Assistance & Consumer Advice

Career Guidance & Life Coaching

Support for Non-Irish Nationals & their families

Mediation for conflict resolution

Originally it was intended to launch the Minding Creative Minds 24/7 Mental Wellbeing programme later this summer. However, in the team's response to the Covid-19 Pandemic, they have adjusted the launch date forward to today as the current pandemic is having a devastating impact on the music sector. Live work was decimated and as such income for many independent artists and their crews stopped without notice. This programme is open to musicians, songwriters, artist managers and event production crew in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

From June 2nd, approximately 20,000 people in the music sector in Ireland (Including Northern Ireland) will be instantly eligible to access these services

Minding Creative Minds (MCM) is the brainchild of David Reid who is the Co-founder & organiser of the RTE Choice Music Prize and has been a board member and project manager with First Fortnight since 2010.

The list of funding partners is as follows:

First Fortnight (Lead Partner)

IMRO (Irish Music Rights Organisation)

IRMA (Irish Recorded Music Association)

RAAP (Recorded Artists, Actors & Performers)

Universal Music Ireland

The BAI (Broadcasting Authority of Ireland)

The RTE Choice Music Prize

The Minding Creative Minds programme partner is Spectrum Life:
Spectrum Life has a network of 480 counsellors, psychotherapists & psychologists and also provides EAP services for companies like Vodafone, Amazon, & Laya Healthcare.

Last year we conducted a comprehensive survey (1391 respondents) amongst the music & creative community in relation to mental health and the responses were stark and aligns with worldwide research.

91% of respondents said that they had experienced anxiety/depression/mental ill health and 95% said that there was a need for a dedicated mental wellbeing support programme for members of the Irish Music & Creative Community

Phase one of the programme launch is for musicians, songwriters, artist managers and event production crew. It is intended in due course to open up the services of MCM to the whole music sector and shortly after to open the programme to the wider Creative Sector in Ireland (theatre/film/visual artists etc.).

Click below icons to follow MCM on Social Media and help spread the word!

#MindingCreativeMinds #MCMIre

Find Out More Here

‘Collectively Counting’ is a new poem by Stephen James Smith and film by Craig Kenny brought to you in collaboration with First Fortnight. The poem and stunning video highlight the need for cohesion and solidarity at this time of disruption.

Poet Stephen James Smith has teamed up with First Fortnight and written a poem to mark the particular disruption in the nations mental health that Covid 19 has created. Collectively Counting is a call for us all to pause for a moment and count together the many questions and wanderings that this time has brought to us.

Director: Craig Kenny
Words & Voice: Stephen James Smith
Trumpet & mixing: Conor O’Brien
Piano & music: Gareth Quinn Redmond

Dear friends, We're proud to announce the launch of this essential service and to be collaborating with so many leaders in the field...

Launching Minding Creative Minds (MCM)

Dear friends,

We're proud to announce the launch of this essential service and to be collaborating with so many leaders in the field...