BAPAM - British Association for Performing Arts Medicine

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BAPAM - British Association for Performing Arts Medicine

Specialist charity delivering expert health and wellbeing services for those working in the performing arts. Find out more about booking a training event.
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We Deliver Expert Health and Wellbeing Services for those Working in the Performing Arts. The British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) is a health care charity helping performing arts professionals and students beat (and preferably avoid) work-related health problems, and dedicated to sharing knowledge about healthy practice. We also deliver specialist training for doctors and other health care professionals, educators and professional bodies, and advocate for best practice throughout the performing arts. Free Clinics

BAPAM’s expert clinicians understand the demands of a performing arts career and give free medical advice about problems including playing-related injuries and pain, tension, hypermobility, voice problems, performance anxiety and stress. Clinical assessments are available in Birmingham, Cambridge, Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Portsmouth. BAPAM clinicians are from a range of backgrounds including general practice, physiotherapy, osteopathy, psychology, rheumatology, and orthopaedics. Resources

BAPAM’s free information resources help people working in the arts care for their health and perform at their peak. BAPAM Factsheets are ideal for teachers, students and performers and include advice about preparing for performance, from physical warm-ups to psychological self-care, coping with anxiety and challenging working conditions, caring for your voice, hearing, taking care of nutrition and alcohol consumption. All of these resources are available to download for free from the BAPAM website. BAPAM’s popular Warm-up Exercises for Musicians resource is available as a pocket-sized leaflet. Music teachers can help spread the word about healthy performance and the help available from BAPAM by distributing these leaflets to their students. Directory of Practitioners

BAPAM maintain a Directory of practitioners with expertise in performing arts health care. Practitioners listed on the Directory are appropriately insured, qualified and attend specialist training events. Often practitioners on the Directory offer reduced rates to BAPAM-registered clients. Events and Training

BAPAM’s adaptable training events for performers, educators and students, employers and other organisations focus on essential skills for healthy practice and optimal performance throughout a demanding career. Sessions can be tailored to cover the most relevant topics in each setting and include health & wellbeing for performers, injury prevention, ergonomics, good technique, vocal health, stress management and overcoming performance anxiety. BAPAM also regularly organise educational events open to all – more information can be found on their News page or social media, or you can sign up to a mailing list on their website. Links

www.bapam.org.uk
www.facebook.com/performingartsmedicine
www.twitter.com/ukbapam

Contact: 020 7404 8444 info@bapam.org.uk

28/12/2025

CPD for Performing Arts Medicine returns on the 28th of January 2026.

This month's topic: Focal Dystonia

Task-specific dystonia is a potentially career-ending movement disorder that affects one or two in every hundred professional musicians and can impact other performing arts professionals.

This session will look at understanding focal dystonia.

The session will be facilitated by:

Mark Edwards - Professor of Neurology and Interface Disorders at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London, Mark works clinically at the Maudsley Hospital and Kings College Hospital. He has a specialist clinical and research interest in Movement Disorders and Functional Neurological Disorder (FND).

Associate Professor Bronwen Ackermann - specialist musicians' physiotherapist, musculoskeletal anatomist and musicians' health researcher at the University of Sydney. Her interest in performing arts health grew as a result of working with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra since 1995, going on to work on improving occupational health as well as developing best-practice injury prevention and management strategies with all the major Australian Orchestras, as well as the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

You can secure your place at this session via the link in our bio.

19/12/2025

This time of year can look different for everyone.

We understand that performing arts profesionals need support for their health all year round. You may especially need support this time of year.

InTune is a specialised digital tool developed by BAPAM and PRS Member's Fund. It provides personalised health advice specifically designed for musical creators.

You can access InTune via the link in our bio and at intune.prsmembersfund.com/

17/12/2025

The BAPAM helpline will be running reduced hours over the festive season.

The helpline (including the phone line and email contact) will be running the following hours over the holidays:

Monday 22nd – Friday 27th December – Closed
Monday 29th December – Open 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 30th December– Open 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 31st December– Open 9am - 5pm
Thursday 1st January – Closed
Friday 2nd January– Open 9am – 5pm

BAPAM does not provide emergency or urgent care medical services. If you find yourself with an injury or illness that needs attention over the holidays, please contact the NHS in the usual way, via your GP surgery or 111, or in an emergency via A&E or calling 999.

16/12/2025

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded funding by the Brit Trust!

This grant will allow BAPAM to create a vital training programme focussing on musicians and performing arts professionals who are working in creative health settings.

BAPAM CEO Claire Cordeaux said:

"The Brit Trust's grant to BAPAM allows us to deliver a vital health and wellbeing training programme for musicians and performing artists working in creative health settings. Without these performing arts professionals, there can be no creative health initiatives. The people who deliver creative health programmes need tailored support for their own occupational health from people who have experience in their specific needs and challenges.

We at BAPAM are delighted that BRIT Trust recognise the need for support for creative health practitioners. It is essential to ensure that performing artists working in creative health settings are supported to maintain and improve their own health so they can support and improve the health and wellbeing of others."

14/12/2025

LEEDS!

Our final clinic of the year in Leeds is coming up!

If you are a performing arts professional, teacher or student with an injury or illness that is impacting your ability to work or study, contact us to book in.

📅 18th December 2025

Email info@bapam.org.uk
Phone 020 8167 4775

12/12/2025

GLASGOW!

Our final physio clinic date in Glasgow is coming up! If you are a performing arts professional or student with an injury or illness that is stopping you from working or studying, call to book in.

📅 Wednesday 17th December

Email info@bapam.org.uk
Call 020 8167 4775

10/12/2025

BELFAST!

There is still time to book into our performing arts medicine clinic this Friday!

If you have an injury or illness that is impacting your ability to perform, study or teach, email or call our helpline on info@bapam.org.uk and 020 8167 4775.

Our clinics will continue in the New Year.

04/12/2025

A very special thank you from the teams at Actors’ Trust and BAPAM to everyone who took part in The Wellbeing Series. We so appreciate your coming along and we hope that you feel supported.

Thank you especially to trainers Heather Turkington, Chula Goonewardene, Rosanna Normanton and Sally Dennis.

Please know that if you need support at any time Actors' Trust and BAPAM are here for you.

30/11/2025

Our FREE Healthy Practice Training Session this month is on Healthy Hands, Arms and Shoulders for Musicians.

BAPAM has seen an increase in musicians presenting in our clinics with upper limb injuries - that is, injuries to their hands, arms and shoulders.

In this free session will be facilitated by Dr Sarah Upjohn, Performing Arts Medicine Physiotherapist and Educator

🎻Sarah is a Performing Arts Medicine Physiotherapist and Educator, working mainly with instrumental musicians
🎻She has extensive clinical experience in assessing & treating playing-related musculoskeletal injuries in instrumental musicians
🎻She is passionate about injury prevention, and promoting musculoskeletal well-being in musicians

Join us for free at this online session on Tuesday 9th of December from 10am - 11am.

🔗Link for tickets - https://www.bapam.org.uk/eventbrite-event/bapam-training-healthy-hands-arms-and-shoulders-for-musicians/

28/11/2025

As Men's Mental Health Month draws to a close, Dr Anna Waters reflects on men's mental health in the performing arts.

Anna writes:

"...perhaps the real tension many men feel lies in the polarisation itself. On one side, the “self-pitying man” who seeks help. On the other, the hyper-masculine figure selling strength, certainty and protein drinks.

In a world that amplifies these extremes, it’s easy to forget something simple and profoundly grounding:

You are a human being first.

Before performance. Before masculinity. Before expectation. Before comparison."

Thank you to Dr Anna Waters for her blog series and particularly this piece which gives a point of refleciton for all of us on returning to our humanity.

You can read this blog and many others by heading to the news section of our website or following the link here https://www.bapam.org.uk/mens-mental-health-in-the-performing-arts-remembering-our-humanity/

27/11/2025

As an actor, your voice is your instrument. So, are you taking care of it?

BAPAM has seen an increase in performing arts professionals arrive at our clinics with vocal issues. Maintaining a healthy practice when it comes to vocal health can help make sure that your voice is protected.

This session focuses on evidence-based practical skills and draws from performance experience, research findings, psychology, and proven vocal health clinical pathways. Participants will learn how to avoid vocal problems and identify the signs and symptoms if they do occur, how to manage issues, promote good health, and where to go for help.

🤔What can cause vocal problems

🧣Avoiding vocal overload

🍵Practical tips for taking care of your voice

🆘When and where to get help

This session has reached capacity, but do join the waitlist as spots can become available! Sign up by following the link in our bio.

Tuesday 2 December

11am-12pm

26/11/2025

📅 Spaces available in our Leeds clinic this Friday!

We have spaces available in our performing arts medicine THIS FRIDAY! If you are a performing arts professional with an injury that is impacting your ability to work or study, call or email us to book in.

BAPAM's performing arts physiotherapy clinic serving Yorkshire is taking place on Friday 28th of November in Leeds. Our clinician is Virginia Whiteley.

Virginia Whiteley is a physiotherapist who is highly experienced in assessing and treating all performing arts work and study-related musculoskeletal problems. She works with musicians and physical performers, and has supported dance companies including Northern Ballet Theatre and Phoenix Dance Company

Please share widely!

Call 020 8167 4775 or email info@bapam.org.uk

Address

BAPAM, 63 Mansell Street
London
E18AN

Telephone

+442081674775

Website

https://www.bapam.org.uk/

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