OAF Talks: Music and mental health – How is the musician’s mind?
Time: 21.8.2024 at 17.30-18.30
Location: Caisa Auditorium, Cultural Centre Caisa, Helsinki, Finland
Why are so many musicians in the creative sector so vulnerable to mental health problems? Are sensitive people attracted to the creative sector or are the working conditions and culture more prone to mental disorders? Is a shift to a mind-friendly music sector possible?
Numerous studies show that people working in the music sector are more likely than other sectors to suffer from mental health challenges. The dark side of music’s mental health comes as no surprise to the industry, and musicians may be allowed to hang around on the gig bus even though they are not okay as long as the tour continues uninterrupted. If people start to fall off, what’s left?
Solutions are not created in a vacuum, but in dialogue. The music industry needs both the mainstream and a strong and vibrant indie and fringe scene to work together. If the musicians who are averse to hit-making or who love their work but are sick of the pressures of success leave the industry, we will soon find ourselves in a situation where we no longer have music to listen to. What can we do together to keep those who work in the industry and those who aspire to it working?
The OAF Talks panel discussion aims to build a more mind-friendly music industry, where everyone stays on board. In the discussion, indie artist Iisa Pajula and Finnish Musicians’ Union freelance coordinator Jaakko Kämäräinen sit down with Kukunori ry’s Markus Raivio to discuss the challenges and possible solutions for the industry. There will be direct talk about performance pressures, working under constant criticism and the unstable nature of work. The panelists also share best practices and ground-breaking initiatives to turn the tide.
Panelists:
Iisa (Iisa Pajula) is a Helsinki-based singer-songwriter, performing artist and writer. She has worked in various roles in music since 2005: as a solo artist with five solo albums, as a soloist in the band Regina, as a professional writer and as a house writer for HMC Publishing from 2012-2020.
Jaakko Kämäräinen is the freelance coordinator of the Finnish Musicians’ Union, and he promotes the overall cause of freelance musicians. Currently, Jaakko’s job description focuses on mental wellbeing in the framework of the ongoing Mental Health Toolkit project. Jaakko has over twenty years of experience as a freelance musician and is a qualified work coach. Working as a freelance musician has given Jaakko a broad understanding of the challenges and phenomena faced in the musician’s profession.
The facilitator is Markus Raivio, Executive Director of Kukunori ry. Markus Raivio is a long-standing mental health professional, organisation leader and social entrepreneur with a passion for developing new solutions to the challenges of our time. Markus is a professional musician, producer and music therapist who has been touring the music scene for several years.
Read more: Kukunori Ry
