In an industry that rarely slows down, MusiCares is carving out a moment to breathe—and this time, it’s happening in one of music’s most spiritually charged cities.
The organization’s third annual Mindful May lands in New Orleans on May 19, transforming the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation into a four-hour reset button for the people who keep the music world turning. Running from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the free event is less about panels and platitudes, and more about actual restoration—physical, mental, and emotional.
New Orleans isn’t just a backdrop here; it’s part of the story. As the birthplace of jazz and a city that has long turned hardship into art, it embodies both the beauty and the burden of a life in music. That history still echoes in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when musicians, engineers, and crews were displaced yet remained central to the city’s recovery. It’s a legacy MusiCares knows well, having supported the community through that crisis and beyond.
“We’ve seen firsthand the strength and resilience of the New Orleans music community,” said Marshai Iverson, Managing Director of Mental Health & Addiction Recovery at MusiCares. “Whether someone is navigating a personal hardship or recovering from a large-scale disaster, our commitment remains the same: to help music professionals regain stability, access care and sustain their well-being over time.”
That mission shows up in the design of the event itself. Mindful May leans away from the typical industry gathering and into something closer to a retreat, offering sound baths, yoga and meditation sessions, massage therapy, guided tea ceremonies, and even custom ear mold fittings—a practical touch for those constantly surrounded by high decibel environments. It’s an intentional pause in a profession that rarely offers one.
Sweetwater CEO Mike Clem emphasized that focus, noting that “caring for musicians and creators throughout their journey is at the center of our mission,” adding that the event helps ensure music professionals feel “heard, seen and supported.”
At the center of the day is a panel titled “The Calm After The Storm: Community Healing Through Music and Resilience,” featuring six-time GRAMMY winner PJ Morton alongside Recording Academy’s Reid Wick and therapist August Boyd. The conversation is expected to reflect on music’s role in healing, particularly in the aftermath of natural disasters, with a lens that feels especially personal in New Orleans.
Still, Mindful May is meant to be more than a one-day reset. It’s a window into a larger, ongoing effort. As MusiCares Executive Director Theresa Wolters put it, “Mindful May is an important reminder, but it is not a finish line… The well-being of music professionals cannot be confined to a single month, especially in an industry that asks so much of the people who power it every day.” With more than $35 million in direct mental health assistance provided over the years, the organization has positioned itself as a year-round support system in an industry that often demands more than it gives back. "Events like Mindful May give us a meaningful snapshot of that work in action. From preventative care to recovery support and crisis response, MusiCares is here throughout the entire year, meeting people where they are and helping remove barriers to care so they can continue doing what they love with greater support around them," continued Wolters.
For fans, it’s easy to overlook the infrastructure that keeps music alive beyond the stage. But events like this underscore a simple truth: when artists and crews are supported, the music doesn’t just continue—it thrives.
RSVP at musicares.org/mindfulmay2026
