The MU is delighted to mark Musicians’ Mental Health Month with YCAT, BAPAM and Tonic Music again for 2025. Photo: Shutterstock.
For the fourth year in a row, Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) has joined forces with the MU, British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM), and Tonic Music for Musicians Mental Health Month 2025.
This year’s campaign, which runs throughout the month of April, will focus on Coping Strategies, as well as promoting year-round mental health support for musicians. It will also offer free 1-2-1 coaching opportunities with Marion Friend, MBE, as well as a Tonic Music Grounding Techniques Workshop, facilitated by Jeordie Shenton.
Explore healthy coping strategies that are right for you
Phoebe Butler, Training Coordinator at BAPAM, explains that musicians’ busy lifestyles can cause a need for a range of coping strategies and says: “Coping strategies can sound daunting or even negative, but they don't have to be! Creating a healthy routine around work and practice can go a long way in helping you cope when things get stressful, or you're impacted by injury or illness.
“A career as a musician can mean long or unsociable hours and touring can mean you fall out of your healthy routine. BAPAM is here to support musicians and performers to have healthier and more sustainable careers”.
Rose Delcour-Min, Data Insight & Education and Wellbeing Officer at the MU, adds: “The MU knows how important maintaining good health and wellbeing is for musicians, and is delighted to mark Musicians’ Mental Health Month with YCAT, BAPAM and Tonic Music again for 2025.
“Over the years the MU has continued to invest in growing our health and wellbeing guidance, resources, and events. We hope that the guidance we have shared on topics such as burnout, stress, and performance anxiety, access to practices such as Feldenkrais, meditation, and yoga, and important health and wellbeing services provided by organisations such as BAPAM and Tonic Music, encourages more and more musicians to explore which coping strategies might be right for them.”
Take part
Places for coaching sessions on Thursday 24 April are limited, and can be booked via YCAT’s coaching enquiry form. You can also book for Tonic Music’s Grounding Techniques Workshop on Tuesday 22nd April at 1:00pm. Both are open to all early career musicians.
Find out more and get involved with Musicians' Mental Health Month 2025.