Photo by Marc Pagani

This organization is one of our partners at ScreensforGood.com.

Keep Your Body In Tune!

The New Orleans Musician's Clinic (NOMC)  is a multifaceted, musician's advocacy organization serving a profession that is historically uninsured and under-protected. NOMC's largest program is a full-time health care clinic that treats 2,500 performers, in addition to community outreach through health events and resources. 

"We are a responsive, mission-driven organization. The mission is to keep music ALIVE, and we accomplish this by keeping performers on stage."

NOMC was founded initially as a clinic in 1998 by community advocates who recognized that local musicians were adored all over the world, but while home, suffered from poverty, and health disparity. NOMC created a centralized location for health care access and advocacy, and in 2007, expanded to include the Assistance Foundation. NOMC is now a bedrock of assistance and aid for musicians throughout the city of New Orleans.

 

In addition to the medical home that provides ongoing cancer screenings, fitness and wellness opportunities, and access to hundreds of doctors in the LSU network regardless of ability to pay,  NOMC hosts an annual, summer blood-drive, which will be held at Rock 'N Bowl in Midcity, on August 7th this year.

NOMC is an active member in the International Performing Arts Medicine Association and is the only organization of its kind. There is also an ongoing program dedicated to educating musicians, fans, and service workers around noise-induced hearing loss called "Safe Sounds".

The Musicians' Clinic is searching for a funding source to expand our Emergency Fund (which has, since 2007, provided 1-time emergency payments of rent and utilities for patients experiencing financial hardship as a result of medical need).  If we can raise $50,000 match, we can expand the parameters beyond medical crisis to include those NOMC patients affected deeply by the COVID19 - placing specific emphasis on helping those musicians and performers who are elderly, cash based, or especially affected.

We want to make people aware of the exponential negative impact on New Orleans' musicians and cultural workers when compared with other cities - particularly due to the poor health determinants of Louisiana, the stealthy spread of the virus over Carnival Season and the timing given our region's upended spring festival season and threat of upcoming hurricane season. Our response must be focused, dedicated and compassionate.  The musicians we serve are suffering.

We remain in close contact with our national partners who provide emergency financial assistance to performers in need (MusiCares, Actors fund, Jazz Foundation of America to name a few).  However, as you can imagine, they are being inundated with requests from performers all over the country.

At the NOMC, we have the unique ability to verify requests quickly and direct much needed funding to our most vulnerable patients because we have ongoing, trusted relationships with them.  We also can prevent future financial crisis through medicaid and health coverage counseling and enrollment.  

Especially given that we stand to forfeit $75,000 in planned spring fundraising initiatives due to cancelled festivals, we simply don't yet have the funding to expand our current emergency fund impact to include non-medical emergencies such as the elimination of gigs due to the COVID response.  We do, however, have the tools, dedication and experience.  

For more information, visit the New Orleans Musician's Clinic and Assistance Foundation at the following addresses:

Website Facebook Instagram Twitter