Your creativeness is valuable

Music therapy and self-care and development set the tone for the first annual Creatology event. The two-day conference took place last month at Revealing Truth Ministries in Tampa, FL.

Its creator and founder, Janelle Richardson, whose stage name is J’Nelle, created the conference both as a healing coping method for herself and to help other artists who struggle mentally.

“Two years ago I was actually diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and I did not realize how much that affected me musically,” J’Nelle explains about the inspiration for the conference. “I wanted to create an atmosphere and a platform for other creatives to know that it is a safe space.”

The conference was a collaborative effort with Creative Collective, an open arts organization under Revealing Truth.  The first night kicked off with a networking and open mic event. Followed by a day of workshops, in which artists had the opportunity to get one-on-one sessions with producers and songwriters. Special guests included Florida creatives such as music producer Shorne Callahan, songwriter and R&B artist Trumaine Lamar, producer Ryan Copeland, jazz and pop artist, Avari, and recording artist, Shyann’s Diary of the girl group, June’s Diary.

“Your creativeness is valuable,” J’Nelle says, who is also the founder of Love Your Voice and the teen outreach program, She Got Vision. She stressed the importance of what they do and how it makes a difference in the world and to others around them, whether they notice their influence or not.

“I’m a firm believer of ‘you never know what’s going in their mind,” she said with participants on opening night. “But because they see you, they [attendees] don’t want to commit suicide anymore, because they see you, they’re not worried about what was on the news, but they come here to be enlightened.”

Photo by Forbes VisualThe event wrapped up with a panel about mental health in music, specifically the importance of rest in the midst of the hustle.

“It’s more than just a music conference,” J’Nelle says. “The goal is to change lives and mindsets.”

Creatology is a small coping solution to the larger problem of Black mental health, specifically among young African Americans.  According to the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, Blacks are more likely than white adults to experience symptoms of emotional distress but less likely to receive treatment for it. Events such as Creatology are seeking to change that stigma. Music therapy as a matter of fact is considered a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and is often used to alleviate anxiety and depression symptoms.

Alex Auguste, the conference host, and poet called it a much-needed event in the community, especially for Black creatives who struggle to find an outlet to express themselves and be vulnerable in their skill set.

“I heard about the mission of the overall conference and thought it was something that was missing in the Tampa Bay area,” he says, “in terms of not only just getting creatives together in music and entertainment but also diving deeper into certain topics, talking about collaboration, talking about mental health.

Auguste applauded J’Nelle for creating a platform ‘to have those conversations and empower new and returning creatives back to Tampa’s growing music industry.’

J’Nelle added, “The fact that people were saying this is what the community needs and that’s what’s about.”

Plans for next year’s conference are already in progress.

“It’s going to grow more and more,” J’Nelle shares her aspirations of growth for the conference. “I plan to see it in arenas and it will do that, so I’m excited.”

Auguste also sees the conference growing and reaching new heights. “What we’re talking about here is not exclusive to the Tampa Bay area,” he says. “I think creatives around the country can definitely be inspired by what we’re talking about and what we’re doing.”

The next Creatology conference is scheduled for July 2023. Early registration for next year’s conference will open in November. Click here to learn more about Creatology and how to register.