Music has the power to affect our moods dramatically.
From melancholic to uplifting, to being our comfort and safety when needed, it can tell our stories and even heal in a way a conversation cannot.
As candid exposure of our mental health challenges have come to the surface, many good Australian humans have noted this power and created impactful groups, organisations and initiatives.
Here are just a few of them:
Mostly Mad Music
https://mostlymadmusic.org.au/
The baby of Founder and CEO Esther Pavel-Wood, MMM “explores the relationship between mental health and music”. Through events, programs and events, multimedia content, they understand more than most the ability for music to create unmeasurable connection.
Listen Up Music
https://www.listenupmusic.com.au/
The brainchild of Ali Taylor, he took this idea from scratch to an organisation that educates and holds music events and competitions across Australia, giving a voice to a heap of seriously talented souls, and helping to heal many more (a side note, Ali was legendary to give me some of his time when I was first starting Mr Perfect to chat and offer some words of support).
The Hey Mate Project
https://www.theheymateproject.com/
With a slightly different flavour than the two movements above, The Hey Mate Project is focussed not on producing music, but primarily supporting the people behind it, with counselling, coaching, education, workshops and more. Founder Aimee Davies has worked in the music and creative industries in Australia, noting the lack of specialised support for artists.