Why resilience is important as the dance music community is currently dealing with COVID-19
+ 7 resources for helping you navigate coronavirus
The dance music community - as well as other sectors, is immensely affected by this outbreak. Festivals and conferences are being canceled worldwide, tours are being postponed or even canceled, and depending on the country you live in and the measures that are being taken, bars, clubs, and events, big or small, are done for now.
How you CHOOSE to react to this current situation is vital. Don’t let the coronavirus become yet another excuse not to build a life around your passion in the dance music industry.
In the video below I talk about the following:
I talk about how the dance music industry is currently being impacted.
Why many of you are using the coronavirus as just another excuse not to have to find their direction and purpose in the dance music community.
How, now more than ever, you should understand the importance of prioritizing your wellbeing and getting support, because it primes you for what’s to come after this crisis,
Why being resilient is going to serve you now and in the future and how to build resilience.
Note: I’m not speculating about the actual health impact of the coronavirus, COVID-19, which continues to spread around the world. That’s better left to the WHO, who have a page on it here.
The financial losses, professional setbacks people across the dance music industry are suffering and will continue to suffer, are daunting and the negative impact this will have on their mental wellbeing apparent. It will take time to bounce back from this. Now, more than ever, it’s vital to be resilient.
I’ve pulled together a few tips and suggestions from interesting resources I have received in the past few days and I have added my own input in there as well. Important note: I’m not an affiliate of any of the below companies or products! Resources that are starred* are things I can help you with or refer you to personally, so you can ask me questions about those over at captain@theunicornmothership.com.
#1 - Stageit: Perform live for your fans right from your computer
In these times with all the festivals and venues shutting down, and for the musicians relying on this income to help keep them financially above water, there is an alternative route. With Stageit you can perform live for your fans right from your computer. You can charge ticket prices, there is a tip jar where people can tip you
and you can perform from anywhere in the world.
As a bonus right now in light of the virus Stageit is giving artists 80% of the payout. For all those losing money from canceled gigs, this is a great alternative to keep performing!
#2 - Organize a COVID-19 mutual aid group using WhatsApp
People are setting up a relief platform per 4 streets. Some have made flyers for their 4 streets with a central telephone number for a contact person who then links the help request to a volunteer.
In addition, some groups are organized in such a way that they have a familiar face to reach out to per street or per number of doors within that 4-street platform in order to prevent potential abuse of this system.
You can find examples from London via this link >>>
#3 - Legal advice for Dutchies from Sander Petit*
Legal advice from dance music industry lawyer Sander Petit on what to do when your work has been canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak, geared towards Dutchies.
This resource is in Dutch. You can use the Google Translate button below his picture, top right. Even though this is related to Dutch law, you may find it useful to give you ideas about your own situation. Check out his article >>>
#4 - Start a #kudos Slack channel*
Many people will work remotely now and if you and your team are on Slack, this is a beautiful opportunity to start a #kudos channel, if you don’t have one already. Whenever you want to give someone some love for the great job they're doing, you can post it on the channel and tag that person in it.
Hopefully, this can help you and your colleagues keep more in touch with the amazing work everyone is doing.
#5 - Keep a gratitude log*
You can do this simply by creating a Google Sheet and sharing it with friends, family, colleagues or the networks/communities you’re a part of. It’s a great way to stay connected and to stay focused on all the things you can be grateful for in your life right now.
#6 - Guide for anxiety relief and anxiety relief & self-isolating by MITC
The Music Industry Therapists and Coaches) are putting together a guide for anxiety relief & self-isolating. It'll include some tips for supporting yourself, your family & your community through these unusual circumstances. If you'd like a copy, please email info@musicindustrytherapists.com.
#7 - Daily online group meditation sessions
If this is unknown territory for you or if you’ve tried it a couple of times but you felt like it didn’t really do much for you, then know that that’s normal. It takes practice and dedication. I’m organizing daily online group meditation sessions inside my Facebook group. If you want to join, request access to my group here >>>
Remember to fill out the questions. If you don’t, your access will be denied.
Tip from a friend of mine: Do you want to send resources to others or ask for help? Always first check whether the other person has the room to help or to receive. Ask permission beforehand so that an info message does not land at the wrong time.
Other resources for the dance music community:
Resident Advisor, “Coronavirus: How to help the electronic music community”
Let’s continue the conversation!
Got any resources to share? Drop them in the comments below and I’ll update this blog