June 10, 2004

A musician or artist without health insurance? Typical, and unfortunate given the physical and mental strains associated with the job: long hours, heavy equipment, less-than-ideal working conditions, even chemical exposure. Visual artists use painting and printmaking solvents, spirits, oils, inks and mediums that can be uniquely toxic. For musicians, just the act of playing an instrument on stage can be taxing -- repetitive strain injury, tinnitus (that ringing in your ears from loud noises), and gaseous carbon dioxide (fog machines) are a few of the health risks they face.

We need to insure the van one of my bands travels in. Hell, even our borrowed trailer is covered. But human health is harder to protect. Last year my boyfriend -- a performing musician who does accounting by day to pay the bills -- was struck by a drunk driver while we were walking to our car after a friend's show. He survived, and even more amazingly, he suffered no long-term injuries -- which is good because we had no insurance. And we're not alone in that.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 15 percent of the population is uninsured -- that's roughly 43.6 million people. The situation in California is particularly dire as state and federal government funding for local health services has been cut, especially with the current governor's budget proposals.

Community Resources
If you have a "day job" then you might be lucky to have health insurance. But many who make a living as artists have forsaken such benefits, relying instead on community resources in times of need -- and taking simple, inexpensive steps to protect health and avoid long-term injury.

In San Francisco, the Community Health Network (www.dph.sf.ca.us/chn/) is a good starting point for seeking free or low-cost health care services. CHN encompasses all personal health care services "with a special emphasis and commitment to serving the City's most vulnerable, diverse populations." Their website offers an interactive map of city health centers. Find the clinic nearest you that addresses your specific needs, and be patient when making an appointment. The staff and volunteers are doing the best they can in public facilities that are overworked and underfunded. The two main CHN hospitals -- San Francisco General and Laguna Honda -- have been particularly hard-hit by cuts in health care services.

Health Insurance
If you do have the money to buy insurance, consider working through a group or nonprofit plan. Listings of low-cost or free health insurance for artists of all disciplines can be found at the Artists' Health Insurance Resource Center (www.actorsfund.org/ahirc/) and the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (www.craftemergency.org/resource.htm). Also see Fractured Atlas (www.fracturedatlas.org/). Media workers of all sorts can join in a group health plan through Media Alliance (www.media-alliance.org/).

Artists with life-threatening illnesses can find a community, exhibiting opportunities and more through the nonprofit Visual Aid (www.visualaid.org/). Theatre Bay Area offers theater workers a similar service through their Lemonade Fund (www.theatrebayarea.org/tba/lemonade.shtml).

You don't need to be a member of the Musicians' Union Local 6 to access much of the info in their website (www.afm6.org/), which includes a list of free clinics and services in San Francisco, as well as links to health organizations for musicians.

One of the more high profile of these organizations is the MusiCares Foundation (www.grammy.com/musicares/), established by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences to provide a safety net for music people in times of need. Their Emergency Financial Assistance Program offers funds for doctor, dental and hospital bills, prescriptions, addiction recovery treatment, psychotherapy, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other critical illnesses, as well as for basic living expenses such as rent and utilities. The toll-free help line for the West Coast is (800) 687-4227.

Vocalists: Ever hear of the Society of Singers (www.singers.org/)? Anyone who has worked as a professional singer for five years or more could qualify for SOS services, including financial aid for medical/dental expenses, substance abuse, psychotherapy and HIV/AIDS, as well as case management and referrals for insurance and benefits, career counseling and more.

Staying Healthy
You can live more conscientiously and avoid health problems in the future. Do an Internet search for "wellness" to get pages of links, or visit the American Holistic Health Association online (www.ahha.org/).

The Musician's Health website (www.musicianshealth.com/) might lean toward soft advertising, but it does feature provider contact info, plus medical information on repetitive injuries, muscular problems, environmental and nutritional issues and more.

H.E.A.R. (Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers, www.hearnet.org/) is backed by an international community of musicians, educators and medical professionals, and provides a website detailing medical and technical information about hearing loss.

All of these websites offer the same basic guidelines: stretch, breathe, relax, exercise, watch your posture, eat well and drink lots of water. More often than not we need to make a conscious effort to adhere to these actions. A cigarette might help you stay awake during a long studio session, and other substances might keep your energy going for the night. But these habits can be detrimental to your long-term well-being.

To survive as an artist you need to be resourceful and self-sufficient. Part of this is knowing what the risks are in your chosen profession and where you can go for help. Musicians and artists go to great lengths to improve their technical skills, define their unique style, create original works and captivate their audience, whether on stage or a gallery wall. Give that same attention to your body and it will enhance your chances of enjoying a long and fruitful career.

San Francisco freelance writer Margaret Pitcher works with High Sierra Music, and is publicist for the bands Sunfire Pleasure and Surrounded By Ninjas. She also volunteers with Electric WOMB, a nonprofit group for women in all facets of music and media.