A MUSIC centre is hosting a series of new online one-to-one advice sessions to support emerging artists, musicians and music leaders starting next month.

As part of its ongoing commitment to artist development, Sage Gateshead’s artistic team will offer free advice to musicians on their career in the music industry.

It will happen through a one-to-one session tailored to each individual, offering advice on topics such as how to approach venues and festivals, applying for funding, dealing with record labels, to questions about support available during the current crisis.

The advice sessions are available via video or telephone between 10.30am and 6pm on the first Thursday of every month, starting from Thursday, April 9, until July 2.

Emily Jones, senior producer at the centre, said: “These sessions have always been part of our artist support plan for Spring 2020, but now more than ever we hope that they will provide help, guidance and some peace of mind during an unprecedented time for the music industry.

“During this uncertain period Sage Gateshead remains committed more than ever to the health and wellbeing of the artistic community.”

Sage Gateshead music leaders will also be running free, 30-minute sessions with other music leaders, music teachers, project workers and musicians who work with young people across the North-East that experience challenging circumstances.

These sessions are part of Sage Gateshead’s CoMusica programme which supports children and young people experiencing challenging circumstances to fulfil their potential musically, personally and socially.

It is funded by Youth Music as part of the Alliance for a Musically Inclusive England (AMIE), a collective that work together to promote equity in music education.

The sessions will range from instrumental expertise to working with people with additional needs and offer practical advice on musical delivery techniques.

They will be available through video and followed up with face-to-face meetings later on in the year.

The first free online session will take place on Thursday, April 23, at 12pm, and will have a focus on SEN/D education, bass, double bass and music production.

Coinciding with the launch of the Advice Sessions, Sage Gateshead is also hosting a series of specialist GP Clinics with the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM).

The first of these will also take place on Thursday, April 9 and run monthly until July 2.

The clinics will be run by Dr. Melanie Grundy, a BAPAM and NHS GP with special interests in mental health and wellbeing, gender dysphoria and performance health.

The clinics are for individuals who make a proportion of their living from or are studying the performing arts and have a physical or psychological health problem related to their work.

The clinics will support creative practitioners with advice on work-related health problems.

This may include identifying the best sources of ongoing care, both in the NHS and from other specialists and advice on sources of financial support for people experiencing health problems affecting their ability to work or study.

In addition to the monthly GP clinics, BAPAM is also running a series of webinars focusing on performers’ health and how to sustain a career in the performing arts, which are available online until further notice.

The first webinar, ‘Healthy Performance Training: Keeping Well Physically, Mentally and Vocally', will commence on Monday, April 20.

It will be an introductory session designed for performing arts professionals and students and will outlines risk factors and key strategies to maintain good physical, mental and vocal health throughout a sustainable career.

Participants will learn how to avoid health problems and identify the signs and symptoms if they do occur, how to manage issues, promote good health, and where to go for help.

Claire Cordeaux, from BAPAM, said: “We are delighted to be working with Sage Gateshead in supporting health and artistic excellence throughout the creative community.”

Further information and booking instructions for all of the above opportunities are available at sagegateshead.com

To find out more, contact artistdevelopment@sagegateshead.com