Posted by: Roo Kailey
This is a very challenging time for our industry, especially for the music-makers and music professionals in our community, many of whom are dealing with canceled performances, and loss of work.
The Unison office has decided to compile a list of helpful resources for Canadian music-makers and music professionals to help navigate mentally and physically at this time so, let’s work on getting through, together.
We’ll be regularly updating this list of resources as much as possible to keep you informed of what’s available for our Canadian industry during these times. Below is an overview of some of the services available. Please visit our blog where we’ll be posting more specific detailed information in the coming weeks.
MENTAL HEALTH/COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Unison For counselling inquiries to help you deal with the financial or emotional impact of coronavirus, please contact 1-855-986-4766.
For emergency financial assistance inquiries, please see our financial assistance page and know that Unison will carefully review your situation and request in the context of finding the best way to assist you during this difficult time. You are reminded that Unison does not make payments directly to applicants, with the understanding that our resources are limited, dependent on the generosity of our donors, and are allocated in ways to best support as many individuals as possible.
Centre For Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH) Offer tips, coping strategies and resources to manage your mental health during the pandemic. For more information about CAMH, visit here
Over The Bridge is a lifeline for the music industry’s long-term success. Using the music industry as a conduit, Over The Bridge assists people in cultivating and achieving long-term mental health and addiction recovery goals.
Team Backline and THRIV have created “Come Together” COVID-19 Crisis” music industry support groups, sharing virtual space weekly on Mondays and Thursdays.
Canada’s Alcoholic Online Meetings Alcoholics Anonymous will be hosting closed meetings on Wednesdays and Sundays at 8pm EST.
Narcotics Anonymous have resources to help addicts meet online or by phone click here for more info.
MindBeacon’s Therapist Guided Program is free for all residents in Ontario, thanks to funding by the Government of Ontario.
Togetherall An anonymous online peer-to-peer mental health community platform, that’s available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
FINANCES
Please refer to our “covid-19 financial assistance resource list” post for more detailed information
The Canada Recovery Benefit has replaced the phased out CERB program. CRB provides income support to employed and self-employed individuals who are not eligible for the Employment Insurance benefits.
Through CRB, you can receive $1,000 ($900 after taxes withheld) per 2-week period for up to 26 weeks (13 eligibility periods between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021.) CRB applications are open through the CRA portal, and you need to reapply every two weeks. The CRA website has a detailed eligibility checklist that walks you through the process.
Find a local Food Bank The Food Banks Canada network is made up of Provincial Associations and their approximately 650 affiliated food banks. The COVID-19 pandemic is an evolving situation. Please use their food bank finder to locate your local food bank.
FACTOR will honour all approved commitments at 100% of the amount approved for funding in situations where the event or activity was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Information about FACTOR’s cancellation policy can be found here and will be extending two of their upcoming deadlines, the Artist Development and Juried Sound Recording programs will be extended by two weeks. The new deadline is Thursday May 28, 11:59pm PT.For eligible music companies looking to apply for support through the Support for Eligible Music Companies program, the Business Development deadline will be extended by 4 weeks. The new deadline is Thursday May 21, 11:59pm PT. Please reach out to your Project Coordinator if you have any questions about submitting applications to either of these programs, they are available by phone and email.
Radio Starmaker The Board of the Radio Starmaker Fund wants to inform all stakeholders that any previous tour dates that were approved and were to take place between February 15th and August 31st of this year will be fully funded if they were canceled as a result of the coronavirus.
Facebook Small Business Grants Programs Facebook is offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries where we operate. We’ll share more details as they become available.
Canada Business App: Download the app to find tailored supports to address your specific needs and questions about COVID-19.
CAPACOA is asking you to track cancellations affecting the Canadian live performance sector here.
KEEP TRACK OF YOUR LOSSES
Many granting agencies and other organizations are urging us to track lost income and to keep related documentation for future response and financial support planning.
ARTIST RESOURCE TOOLS
The Syrup Factory If you or your team needs help navigating any cancellations at this time, please reach out to Sarah at The Syrup Factory for assistance, free of charge.
Reach Vanessa from Reach is offering free 30-minute meetings over the phone for music industry peers struggling with how to generate content to make money in the interim, and exactly what you can still “get done” remotely while we work through this. Schedule yourself a slot here.
That Eric Alper Every night, freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper will be releasing a 60-second clip of tips that artists and labels can do during this time of madness, and afterwards. Watch his videos here.
Fit on Tour will be running Instagram LIVE guided workouts (yoga, HIIT, meditation and more). Check them out here.
Vinylgram Toronto They’ll be offering a free 1-of-1 custom cut 45 to any Toronto band that has been affected by cancellations due to Covid-19. They will be giving these discs to you outright. However, they would like to see them auctioned off to either cover your bands costs or have the proceeds donated to a local charity. Reach out to them here.
ilostmygig.ca A safe space for creative industries and other vulnerable freelance and gig economy workers to connect and share stories in response of COVID-19. Visit the site here.
CD Baby’s 7 things to remember about live-streaming Resources for musicians during the COVID-19 pandemic
Bandzoogle Free webinar: How musicians can survive and strive with live streaming. March 26, 2020 @ 1:00PM CST.
Tele-Townhall with Ontario’s Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries Join Lisa MacLeod on Thursday, March 26 at 10:30AM for a tele-townhall to discuss the government’s response to COVID-19. Those interested in participating must register here.
SaskMusic Presents: Managing Pandemic Anxiety in the Arts led by Cara Taylor. This free webinar will take place on March 30 at 7:00PM and is open to everyone. Those who are interested can register here.
OTHER RESOURCES:
Rehab4Addiction: Coronavirus: Guidance for Better Mental Health
COVID-19: Learn what financial, mental health and other supports are available during COVID-19 (Government of Ontario)
The Canadian Music Industry Association (CIMA) has put together a list of resources that may be of assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can review the list of resources here.
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Ontario to Suspend All Eviction Notices, Enforcement During Spread
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Outbreak Updates (Government of Canada)
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Outbreak Updates (Government of Quebec) (in French)
The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) (Ontario Ministry of Health)
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak (World Health Organization)
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention)
If you happen to know of any other resources available not included in this list, please feel free to reach out to me at rkailey@unisonfund.ca.