#56 The Music Industry’s Health Crisis | Theresa Wolters (MusiCares)

What does real support for music professionals actually look like when the gigs stop, the bills pile up, or the stress gets too heavy? In this episode, Nikki Sanz sits down with Theresa Wolters, Executive Director of MusiCares, to talk about the health, financial, and emergency realities facing people across the music industry.They get into the gap between how glamorous the industry can look from the outside and how vulnerable it often feels from the inside. Theresa shares how MusiCares helps with rent, therapy, medical bills, substance use treatment, and disaster relief, and why better data is finally helping the industry confront what so many people have lived for years.This conversation also digs into the Wellness in Music Survey, why preventive care and health coverage remain major issues for freelancers and touring professionals, and what meaningful change could look like from here.What you’ll learnWhat MusiCares actually does day to day for music professionalsWhy so many people in music still lack stable health and financial supportHow MusiCares responds to emergencies, from lost gigs to natural disastersWhat the Wellness in Music Survey is revealing about stress, money, and healthWhy Theresa believes sustainability is now one of the biggest issues in music careersHow friends, coworkers, and managers can help someone reach out before things get worseTake the Wellness in Music 2026 survey: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8718804/scs-2026-Wellness-in-Music The survey is completely anonymous, and participation directly contributes to shaping resources and support for the community. The survey is open from April 6 – 17th.Qualifying music professionals can reach out to MusiCares for support at any time at https://www.musicares.org/get-helpA minimum of five years employment in the music industry (three years for disaster relief), OR six commercially released recordings or videos (singles)For more information on MusiCares or to donate, please visit www.musicares.orgTheresa Wolters bio:Theresa Wolters is the Executive Director of MusiCares, where she leads the organization’s mission to provide a critical safety net of health, human, and social services for music professionals. She joined MusiCares in 2022 as Vice President of Health and Human Services, a role that built on her two decades of global leadership expanding access to health, financial, and emergency services.Find your next Gigg and join the #1 community for the live events industry: https://www.giggs.live/Stay up to date:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.liveYoutube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-liveLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/giggs-llc/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@giggs.liveHost: Nikki Sanz