The Minister for Culture, Arts, Media, Tourism, Sport and the Gaeltacht, Catherine Martin T.D., today announced funding of €230,000 for the expansion of Minding Creative Minds existing service to the entire Irish creative sector, both home and abroad.
Workers in the cultural, creative and live entertainment sector continue to be significantly affected by COVID-19 restrictions. Life Worth Living, the Report of the Arts and Culture Recovery taskforce concluded that “All these factors are having a damaging effect on the mental health and wellbeing of people working in these sectors”. Recommendation 6 of this report further recognises the need establish a programme that provides wellbeing supports to the creative sector.
Minding Creative Minds Wellbeing & Support Programme (in association with Spectrum Life) is Ireland’s first 24/7 wellbeing support programme for the Irish Creative sector. First launched in June 2020, with thanks to the support of their funding partners (First Fortnight, IMRO, IRMA, MCD, Universal Music Ireland, RAAP, BAI, KPMG and as one of the chosen beneficiaries of EPIC Working Group’s fundraising initiative, Songs From An Empty Room and ongoing We are the Support Act fundraising initiatives), this support programme will now be extended to offer the following services to the entire Irish creative community. This will include:
- 24/7 free dedicated phone helpline;
- Up to 6 free counselling sessions;
- Financial assistance, consumer advice and legal assistance for a range of issues;
- Career guidance and life coaching;
- Support for Non-Irish nationals and their families;
- Mediation for conflict resolution.
Updates and further information on how to access these services are now available on the Minding Creative Minds website.
Minister Martin said: “I am very pleased to announce this funding to support the important work of Minding Creative Minds. Now, more than ever, our creative community requires support. I would like to congratulate Minding Creative Minds on their success to date in rolling out this innovative programme of supports to those requiring assistance in the music sector and I look forward to the expansion of this programme over the coming weeks, which I am sure will be welcomed by the Irish creative sector, both home and abroad.”
Commenting on the funding announcement Eleanor McEvoy, Chair of IMRO said: “I’m delighted that the Minding Creative Minds initiative has now been extended beyond the music industry and into the entire creative sector. It’s a wonderful initiative that is already providing much needed support for those of us that work in the music industry and it’s heartening that the extension of the program will mean that that many more will now benefit from these much needed services.”
