Text by Martha Sofie Bech Myhre
“The problem has been here for a long time, both at SPOT Festival and in the industry in general. What’s new is that we are finally talking about it,” says Albert Helmig, booker at SPOT Festival.
He is talking about poor mental wellbeing among music artists.
Kamilia Amélie from Mental Voice agrees. According to her, young artists must juggle a long list of responsibilities when they begin working in the industry. They have to manage social media, act as their own bookers in the beginning, and at the same time focus on their music.
For some, that becomes far too much to handle.
“The demands exceed the resources,” she says.
Wellbeing Has Moved onto the Agenda
According to the 2024 report Når musikken taler (“When the Music Speaks”), nearly six out of ten younger musicians (under 40) are struggling or unhappy, while seven out of ten experience high levels of anxiety.
This is also viewed as a major issue in Central Denmark Region, which has chosen to support the project Proud Artist, an initiative focused on improving wellbeing among musicians.
“We need to be inspired by these ideas,” says Mikkel Ottow, special consultant in cultural development for the Central Denmark Region.
He explains that the issue is also important to the region because improving wellbeing aligns with the United NationsSustainable Development Goals. He hopes the Proud Artist project can help create a healthier dynamic in the intersection between health, art, and culture.
SPOT Wants to Take Better Care of Musicians
At SPOT Festival, work is already underway to create new solutions that support better wellbeing among performing artists.
This year, more than 300 concerts will take place over the course of the festival’s three days.
“That means many people will have a great experience, but it also potentially means many could have a less positive one.”
Albert Helmig explains that it is therefore a major responsibility for the festival to ensure that as many artists as possible thrive before, during, and after their performances.
First and foremost, the festival evaluates whether an artist is actually ready to perform at SPOT — or whether it might be healthier for them to wait another year or two.
For the artists included in the festival lineup, several new initiatives have been launched to create a greater sense of calm and security.
This includes a new musician lounge which, unlike the previous setup at Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel Aarhus, is designed specifically to encourage relaxation and decompression.
In recent years, SPOT has also established an emergency crisis support system available to artists or band members who suddenly need mental health support.
Still, Albert Helmig believes it is essential that the festival does not become complacent.
“We need to continue the conversation and keep it on the agenda. We can go much further,” he says.
Wellbeing Starts Backstage
At the venue known for its colorful carpets, the team is equally committed to creating better environments for live performances. Booker Mie Jakobsen from Turkis says it is important to make room for both introverted and extroverted musicians.
They hope to improve the facilities available during the long waiting periods artists often face between soundcheck and the concert itself.
Rather than only providing a stocked refrigerator, she suggests thinking in new ways for example by offering board games or books backstage. She also stresses the importance of having a welcoming backstage staff.
Most importantly, however, is creating space for artists and developing a new way of talking about the immense pressure they face.
“Industry and business are such dry words for something so emotional. There’s something there that doesn’t quite match.”
Because even though new backstage initiatives and wellbeing programs are emerging, the problem has not yet been solved. The challenge is about changing the culture itself — and changing the way people talk about it.
That is why the conversation about wellbeing among music artists has only just begun.
Tekst af Martha Sofie Bech Myhre
“Problemet har været her længe, både på SPOT og i branchen generelt. Det er nyt, at vi taler om det,” siger Albert Helmig, booker på SPOT Festival.
Det er mistrivsel blandt musikartister, han taler om.
Kamilia Amélie fra Mental Voice stemmer i. Ifølge hende er der en lang række ting, de unge artister selv skal jonglere, når de begynder deres arbejdsliv i branchen. De skal forholde sig til SoMe, være deres egen booker i begyndelsen, og sideløbende skal de naturligvis koncentrere sig om deres musik.
Og det kan for nogle være en rigeligt stor mundfuld.
“Kravene overstiger ressourcerne,” siger hun.
Trivsel er rykket på dagsordenen
Næsten seks ud af ti yngre musikere (under 40 år) mistrives eller er ulykkelige, og syv ud af ti har et højt niveau af angst ifølge rapporten ‘Når musikken taler’ fra 2024.
Det opfatter man også som et stort problem i Region Midtjylland, hvor man derfor har valgt at støtte om projektet Proud Artist, som er et projekt, der arbejder for at højne trivsel blandt musikere.
“Vi har brug for at blive smittet af de tanker,” siger Mikkel Ottow, specialkonsulent i kulturudvikling i Region Midtjylland.
Han fortæller, at det samtidig er vigtigt for regionen, fordi mindre mistrivsel er en del af FN’s verdensmål. Han håber, at projektet Proud Artist kan være med til at skabe en sundere dynamik i krydsfeltet mellem sundhed, kunst og kultur.
SPOT vil passe bedre på musikerne
Også på SPOT Festival arbejder man målrettet med nye løsninger for højere trivsel blandt de optrædende kunstnere.
I år bliver der afholdt over 300 koncerter i løbet af de tre dage.
“Det betyder, at mange får en god oplevelse, men det kan potentielt også betyde, at mange kan få en mindre god.”
Albert Helmig, booker på SPOT, fortæller, at det derfor er en stor opgave for festivalen at gøre sit for, at så mange artister som muligt trives, både før, under og inden, de spiller koncert.
Han forklarer, at man først og fremmest ser på, om artisten er klar til at spille på festivalen, eller om de vil have bedre af at vente et år eller to.
For de artister, som er med på festivalens program, har man søsat flere initiativer, der skal være med til at skabe mere tryghed og ro.
Det gælder en ny musikerlounge, der til forskel fra den tidligere på Radisson skal lægge op til afkobling.
SPOT har desuden inden for den sidste årrække stablet et krisenødberedskab på benene, der står til rådighed, hvis en artist eller et bandmedlem får akut brug for mental support.
Men for Albert Helmig er det afgørende, at festivalen ikke stiller sig tilfreds endnu.
“Vi skal fortsætte snakken og blive ved med at have det på dagsordenen. Vi kan nå meget længere,” siger han.
Trivsel starter backstage
Også på spillestedet, der er kendt for sine mange spraglede gulvtæpper, er man opsat på at sætte rammer for gode spilleoplevelser. Turkis’ booker, Mie Jakobsen, siger, at det for dem er vigtigt at give plads til både den introverte og ekstroverte musiker.
Det vil de gøre ved at forbedre faciliteterne i den lange ventetid, man som artist skal overkomme mellem lydprøver og koncert.
Hun foreslår, at man ikke kun byder på et fyldt køleskab, men at man tænker i nye baner og stiller f.eks. brætspil eller bøger til rådighed. Og så understreger hun, at det er vigtigt med et nice backstagepersonale.
Men allervigtigst er det dog at rumme artisterne og finde en ny måde at tale om det store pres på.
“Branche og industri er nogle meget tørre ord for noget, der er så følelsesladet. Der er noget, der ikke helt matcher der.”
For selvom nytænkende backstagefaciliteter og trivselsinitiativer skyder op, er problemet ikke løst endnu. Det handler om at ændre selve kulturen og måden, den bliver talt om. Og derfor er samtalen om trivsel blandt musikartister stadig kun lige begyndt.
