Pilot program offers some Calgary artists ‘lifesaver’ health insurance

After years of moving astatine her parents’ Calgary edifice and various different jobs, Tea Fannie put her fears speech and pursued a full-time profession arsenic rap creator astatine nan property of 30.

“I was nervous. You don’t cognize if you’re capable to salary your bills,” says Fannie, whose thumps tie from rap, R&B and pop, and Afro-Caribbean influences.

Although she’s been penning poesy since she tin remember, launching her rap profession was a scary leap that she compares pinch being connected train tracks.

“If I’m connected a train and it’s connected nan tracks, but nan tracks aren’t successful beforehand of you,” she explains. “As you’re moving forward, nan way appears and it comes. It feels for illustration a weird, jumping, leaping and trusting, but it useful retired because you’re moving hard.”

Over a twelvemonth ago, she needed to get her contented teeth retired — which was much financially achy than thing else. She didn’t person benefits, truthful she made monthly payments connected nan dental bill.

“I virtually made payments for $400 which was not a batch for immoderate people, but for maine it took 4 months,” Fannie says.

That’s wherever Elephant Artist Relief Society (EAR) comes in.

The nine started arsenic a kindness successful 2007 to springiness emergency costs to artists dealing pinch a medical, financial, aliases individual emergency. It’s now expanded to a wellness security subsidy aviator programme for artists who don’t person entree to employer sponsored benefits.

EAR realized that not each artists are capable to spend moreover nan premiums for group wellness insurance.

Calgary Arts Development provided backing to EAR to tally a aviator to thief pass nan improvement of nan wellness security subsidy program. The programme is providing 15 artists pinch wellness security for 1 year.

Fannie precocious had much dental activity done — and this time, pinch expenses covered by nan EAR security program.

“That was specified a lifesaver,” Fannie says. “Stuff for illustration that scares (me), but I’m truthful thankful that EAR has my back. It’s specified a relief.”

“I’m successful nan process of getting my contacts now, truthful yay, I tin spot intelligibly now nan rainfall is gone.”

Fannie says without nan support, she would still beryllium wearing her aged glasses.

“I would not beryllium capable to spot properly. I would conscionable person to prevention up to return attraction of my eyes, which is crappy, aliases I would beryllium successful a crappy occupation that has benefits because I request nan benefits.”

Tea Fannie says EAR frees her from having a nine-to-five occupation connected apical of writing, marketing, school and performing, truthful it helps her beryllium much creative. “I’m capable to walk much clip connected my creation arsenic opposed to stressing that I request a nine-to-five because I person bills to pay.”

Sabine Lecorre-Moore, a Calgary ocular artist, says nan EAR security subsidy program  provides a spot of freedom, a information nett she didn’t person before.

“That’s immense for creator because we are self-employed,” Lecorre-Moore says. “Medication and glasses — it’s costly and dental is insane.”

EAR’s emergency creator alleviation backing is simply a past edifice assets intended to supply for costs up to a maximum of $2,500.

To beryllium eligible, individuals request to unrecorded successful aliases astir Calgary and show an urgent request for support owed to an unforeseen wellness situation aliases catastrophic arena that prevents them from nan continued pursuit of their imaginative practice.

Artists are creative, not only successful making their art, but successful really they put nutrient connected nan array and salary dental bills.

The support allows artists to proceed to activity connected what they do best, sharing their imagination and our stories.

“Art is thing arsenic bully arsenic food. We request creation and euphony for our spirit. We request to beryllium down them, particularly nan section artists,” Lecorre-Moore says.

“It’s very important for our life. It’s what makes america Alberta. Artists show america who we are done their work.”

The subsidy aviator involves partners pinch 5 Calgary arts work organizations that person identified 3 artists per statement to whom EAR is providing nan costs of premiums to nan group wellness benefits for 1 year.

It’s expected nan aviator programme will thief stitchery penetration and accusation to build a lawsuit for expanding nan project.

Since 2007, EAR’s instruction has expanded from responding to emergency needs of artists to helping supply support for artists’ basal needs, health, well-being and master development.