Tramlines and We Out Here to host Music Support Safe Hubs on site in 2024

AIF members given the opportunity to host fully-funded hubs thanks to The Christopher Meredith Foundation partnership.

Tramlines and We Out Here have been announced as the beneficiaries of fully-funded Safe Hubs provided by Music Support during their 2024 events.

The facilities have been made possible by a partnership between AIF, Music Support and The Christopher Meredith Foundation, with AIF members having been able to apply for a fully-funded Safe Hub set up at the end of last year.

Tramlines and We Out Here were announced as the successful recipients at AIF’s Festival Congress, which took place in Bristol today, Thursday, February 1.

Music Support’s Safe Hubs are hosted backstage at music festivals across the country  to address particular needs that can arise on tour and specifically in the festival environment. The Hubs provide a safe space for artists and crew to speak confidentially to a fully trained and qualified staff member or volunteer about anything they may be experiencing, or to seek advice about clinical signposting for themselves or others.

The above festivals will be provided with four members of Music Support staff, trained to deal with issues of mental health, first aid, addiction and recovery awareness, and self-care.

Founded in 2016, Music Support is a registered UK charity that helps peers who work in music and live events affected by mental ill-health and/or addiction.

In 2023, Music Support carried out an anonymous online wellbeing survey as part of their Safe Hub activity with feedback from both artists and crew. 75% of people claimed to have felt “down or depressed” in the last 12 months with 63% suffering “low self-confidence.” A worrying 18% of respondents said they had “experienced suicidal thoughts”, with 84% saying they felt there wasn’t enough support available in music and live events for people with mental health and/or addiction problems.

The Christopher Meredith Foundation partners with carefully selected, specialist charities and organisations within the music industry delivering critical services to those facing mental health challenges.

The Association of Independent Festivals is the UK’s leading national not for profit festival trade association representing the interests of 101 UK music festivals, ranging from 500 to 80,000 capacity. Its annual Festival Congress is the sector’s flagship event, uniting, empowering and supporting independent festival promoters and connected businesses.

Pia Rose Scattergood, Junior Event Producer at Tramlines, said: “The Safe Hub will be a valuable asset to Tramlines in 2024, benefitting not only artists and crew who are on the road for months at a time but also those who are taking their first steps in the industry. When you’re navigating the chaos of a busy environment, having a dedicated space where you know you can find support, resources, and a community that cares about your mental and physical health makes all the difference. We’re delighted to be able to further advance our backstage accessibility and safeguarding provisions through this partnership while promoting the services that Music Support has to offer industry-wide.”

Joe Barnett, Founder and Director at We Out Here, said: “We are really excited and truly thankful to have the Music Support Safe Hub join us at We Out Here this year. Giving our artists and crew the support they need on-site – in all senses – is really important to us. This opportunity allows us to grow that offering with an organisation that has some incredible experience and amazing resources to share.”

Lynne Maltman, Senior Marketing and Events Specialist at Music Support, said: “Music Support’s Safe Hub activity has been a crucial part of our service delivery since the charity was established in 2016. The results of our 2023 wellbeing surveys demonstrate the mental health challenges our industry peers face and reinforce how important our work is. We were really pleased to partner with the AIF to offer their member festivals the opportunity to benefit from a fully-funded Safe Hub at their event in 2024, thanks to our partnership with the Christopher Meredith Foundation. We look forward to heading to Tramlines and We Out Here this year to provide an extra level of wellbeing support to their artists and crew.”

AIF CEO John Rostron said: “As well as putting on an entertaining show and providing excellent value for money, wellbeing and personal safety are of paramount importance to all of the independent festival operators that make up AIF’s membership. We often talk about that personal wellbeing in terms of those attending festivals, but it’s equally important that we look after the artists and members of staff that make these events possible. Music Support does a great job of providing resources, expertise and a lifeline for many who struggle in what is a very demanding industry. We’re pleased to have been able to help grow the footprint of their Safe Hubs through this initiative, and look forward to continuing our relationship and taking their cause further still in years to come.”