Nuçi's Space

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Located in Athens, Georgia, Nuçi's Space is a resource center for local musicians.It seeks not to only provide rehearsal and performance space, but to support the well-being of the music community, run by the nonprofit Nuçi Phillips Memorial Foundation. It is a significant organization in serving the mental health needs of an often-uninsured population in a unique manner.

The name Nuçi is pronounced like New'-chee.

Contents

[edit] A Brief History of Nuçi’s Space

On Thanksgiving Day 1996 after a five year long battle with major depression, 22-year-old musician and University of Georgia (UGA) student Nuçi Phillips killed himself. To commemorate Nuçi’s legacy, his mother, Linda Phillips, decided to turn her son’s tragic death into a life-affirming mission. In 1998, she bought and renovated an old warehouse on the edge of downtown Athens, Georgia and called it Nuçi’s Space. Housing four practice rooms, a stage area, a coffee bar/lounge and a library, Nuçi’s Space has materialized into a nonprofit musicians’ support and resource center that fights the stigma of mental illness while providing low-cost, obstacle-free treatment for depression and other such disorders.

Since opening its doors in 2000, Nuçi’s Space has become “the” practice space for many of the 450 bands who call Athens home. The Space hosts benefit concerts, music workshops and a variety of other artistic endeavors. Since the mission of Nuçi’s Space is to assist in the emotional, physical and professional well-being of musicians, services such as a volunteer physician twice a month to see walk-in uninsured musicians, low-cost eye exams and glasses and low-cost professional ear plugs are provided, in addition to low-cost professional counseling. Nuçi’s Space has been instrumental in helping local bands obtain free legal advice for contract issues, copyright law and publishing rights. A Survivors of Suicide Support Group meets monthly, drawing people from surrounding counties.

Nuçi’s Space has repeatedly received the annual Athens Flagpole Award for being the "Biggest Supporter of the Music Community". Its reputation has spread beyond the borders of Athens, Georgia. Linda Phillips and Executive Director Bob Sleppy have been panelists at the South By Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas, the Future of Music Coalition in Washington, DC and AthFest in Athens, Georgia. In 2003, Linda Phillips was presented the Welcome Back Community Service Award by Eli Lilly for her work in depression.

Nuçi’s Space thrives because it is based on the very real notion that nurturing, understanding, compassion and insight when extended to others for the purpose of helping to improve life does just that. The music community and caring individuals have donated time and money to further the Nuçi’s Space cause.

[edit] Mission

Nuçi’s Space is a non-profit support/resource center for musicians in Athens, Georgia. It was founded in memory of 22-year old musician Nuçi Phillips who took his own life in 1996 after battling major depression. The aim of the organization is to provide obstacle free treatment for musicians suffering from depression and other such disorders as well as to assist in the emotional, physical and professional well-being of musicians. Nuçi’s Space provides:

   * Low cost mental health counseling referral service
   * Inexpensive rehearsal facilities
   * Performance area
   * Coffee lounge
   * Music/self-help library
   * Music and health related workshops
   * Support groups
   * Volunteer physicians to treat minor illnesses of uninsured musicians
   * Opportunities to educate and destigmatize mental illness not only in the music community but in the community as a whole

[edit] General Description

Nuçi's Space is dedicated to promoting the emotional, physical and occupational well-being of the music community. With a staff of four musicians, under the guidance of founder Linda Phillips, the center provides a stable, caring environment. For many, such an environment is all that is required to impart a sense of worth and validity. For others, additional help is needed. They are referred to a group of off-site, licensed, professional therapists who work closely with Nuçi's Space to deliver affordable counseling. Since most musicians who use Nuçi's Space have no health insurance, they are asked to pay a nominal fee each visit. The Space pays the remaining fee.

In addition, a retired physician who serves on the Foundation Board, volunteers his services once a week to see uninsured musicians with minor ailments. Currently, a search is on to find low cost dental services. Hearing protection is strongly encouraged because of the high amount of hearing loss that occurs among musicians.

To address occupational needs, the Space provides four soundproofed practice rooms, a performance area and a coffee lounge.

Career and health workshops are conducted along with other topics of interest. A lending library contains materials on topics such as music performance, music composition, mental health, and spirituality, among others. The meetings of the local Survivors of Suicide (SOS) group, for anyone who has lost a loved one to suicide, are hosted at Nuçi's Space.

[edit] The Positive Influence of Nuçi’s Space

As of 2006, Nuçi’s Space has helped over 375 musicians receive direct financial aid for professional counseling as well as personalized follow up for each person. In 2005, over $63,000 was spent on therapy and medication assistance. In addition to Athens musicians, Nuçi’s Space has helped musicians and artists in Atlanta, San Francisco, Sacramento, New York, Nashville, Montana, Austin, and Boston.

Nuçi Phillips was a musician and a student. Nuçi’s Space reaches out to both the music and the student community and thus benefits the community as a whole. A very active Nuçi’s Space Student Organization and student internship program have been growing. In April of 2006, the two groups collaborated to produce the first annual Depression & Suicide Awareness Week on the UGA campus.

[edit] Financial Support

Since 2000, Nuçi’s Space has received help from the Lyndhurst Foundation, the Herman Goldman Foundation, the Chatham Valley Foundation, the Schultz Family Foundation, Kinko’s, New West Records, Drive-By Truckers LLC, WNNX-FM 99X, The Brian Ritchey Fund, Yamaha and many caring individuals.

[edit] Administration

  • Linda V. Phillips, President, Nuçi Phillips Memorial Foundation
  • Bob Sleppy, Executive Director, Nuçi’s Space
  • Will Kiser, Director of Development, Nuçi’s Space

[edit] External/Media References

[edit] See also

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