Q: Do you help musicians even if they have insurance?
A: Yes. Many of our grant recipients have private health insurance or publicly funded health care (such as Medicaid or Medicare). We can help with living expenses, insurance premiums, deductibles, or alternative therapies, treatment and prescriptions not covered by existing insurance.
Q: Who gets support from Sweet Relief?
A: Musicians must clearly show that they have spent at least three years actively pursuing a musical career. Applicants must be in financial need and have a diagnosis of a serious medical condition. We also help elderly musicians, regardless of medical condition, who are having trouble making ends meet. Sweet Relief's grant committee is composed solely of musicians, who understand the health and financial sacrifices artists have to make in order to survive as artists. The committee carefully reviews each request and makes decisions based on the applicant's contribution to music, the factors that have contributed to financial need, the seriousness of the musician's medical condition, and other resources the musician might have. For more information about applying for a grant, click here.
Q: Is Sweet Relief looking to permanently solve the problem of insufficient healthcare for artists? If the recording industry provided health insurance for artists, would we need you?
A: Musicians are a diffuse group of people with varied interests - - local club performers; artists who work in genres not frequently recorded or who have a limited following; people whose work is critically well regarded but who don't sell many records; musicians who have had a moment of fame, and continue to work, but are not rewarded financially and, of course, big ticket stars. Most of the people we help fall outside the purview of the recording industry, and would not be aided by an "industry-wide health plan" nor do they qualify for union or guild insurance. We believe the only effective solution, that helps everyone, is the passage of a universal healthcare law. Since Sweet Relief is not a political lobbying organization. It is our immediate goal to motivate music lovers and the music industry to help our own. Even if there were universal healthcare, however, Sweet Relief would still be needed to help musicians pay for living expenses, alternative health options, or other needs outside of insurance, and we hope to continue this service for decades to come.
Q: How can I help?
A: There are many ways you can help Sweet Relief. You can feel confident that your tax-deductible donation of any size will make a huge difference to a worthy artist. See DONATE NOW on the left side of this page mid way down. Sweet Relief also receives funds from benefit concerts independently produced and staged in cities across the country. Please contact us beforehand. In addition, we've received contributions from sales of merchandise and support from musicians who place our logo and contact information on their albums. If you have a web site, a myspace page, a zine or publication, or a radio program, mention Sweet Relief .Put a jar on your bar. If you are interested in coordinating a benefit for Sweet Relief, making a donation, spreading the word, or have an entirely new scheme in mind, please send an email or call 888-955-7880.
Any questions we didn't answer? Please feel free to ask.
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