SOUND MINDS

Curated live events bringing music and creative communities together for honest conversations about mental health, resilience and the realities of creative work.

Real talk, live performance and meaningful connection for people working in music and the creative industries.

SOUND MINDS is a live, community-focused event series created and hosted by Support Act.

Part panel. Part performance. Part facilitated conversation.

These events bring creative workers together to share lived experiences of mental health challenges, industry pressures and the strategies that help people stay well in demanding environments.

Unlike traditional networking events, SOUND MINDS creates space for honesty, reflection and genuine connection. No industry posturing. No highlight-reel personas. Just real conversations about what it actually takes to sustain a creative life.

Why SOUND MINDS?

Working in music and the creative industries can be meaningful and exhilarating. It can also be isolating, competitive and emotionally demanding.

Support Act’s research consistently shows high levels of psychological distress, burnout and financial stress among creative workers. Many also report feeling disconnected from peers and hungry for more authentic spaces to connect.

SOUND MINDS responds to that need.

By centring lived experience and open dialogue, these events:

Reduce stigma around mental health conversations
Strengthen peer connection
Share lived experience and coping strategies that support mental health and reduce isolation
Reinforce a culture of care and solidarity

Because creativity thrives in communities where people feel seen, supported and understood.

What to expect

Each SOUND MINDS event is curated to suit the specific audience and context. Sessions may include:

Live panel discussions or fireside chats with musicians, artists, managers and industry insiders
Deep dives into lived experiences of mental health, burnout, recovery and resilience
Audience Q&A and facilitated discussion
Stripped-back live performances
Interactive reflection or meet-up activities to encourage connection

Themes can be tailored to your community, conference or event focus.

Sessions typically run for approximately 60 minutes, but format and length can be adapted.

Who is it for?

SOUND MINDS is designed for:

Musicians and performers
Managers and industry professionals
Crew and production staff
Emerging creatives
Students and early-career workers
Festival and conference audiences

It can be delivered as a standalone community event or integrated into:

Conferences and industry summits
Festivals
Orientation programs
Touring events
Community arts initiatives

Past sessions have been delivered in partnership with events such as BIGSOUND, IndieCon, WAMCon and UNIFIED’s Off The Record tour.

How it works

Format: Live, in-person event
Duration: Typically 60 minutes (flexible)
Structure: Panel or fireside conversation, live Q&A and performance

Support Act curates and facilitates the session, working with you to:

Select appropriate speakers and performers
Shape themes and discussion focus
Create a psychologically safe environment
Integrate wellbeing messaging and support pathways

SOUND MINDS can be tailored to suit your venue, audience size and event format.

Clinically speaking...

Sound Minds are facilitated group sessions designed for individuals with lived experience of psychological distress or heightened risk of mental ill health.

Through structured peer connection, validation and guided discussion, these sessions function as a form of social prescription, reducing isolation and stigma while promoting protective factors such as belonging and shared meaning.

Participants are actively connected to Support Act services, including Crisis Relief Grants and the Wellbeing Helpline, supporting the relief of distress and strengthening pathways to care.

The serious stuff

Support Act is a registered Public Benevolent Institution (PBI).

This means our primary purpose is to relieve distress, hardship and suffering, and to support people who are experiencing, or are at risk of, significant vulnerability.

Our PBI status reflects our commitment to delivering programs that provide genuine public benefit, are responsibly governed, and remain focused on supporting those who need help most across the music and creative industries.

Our programs are proudly supported by Creative Workplaces