The British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) announces that actor and musician Sheila Atim MBE, and Johnny Marriott, lead singer of the punk rock band PET NEEDS, have been appointed patrons of the specialist health charity for the performing arts. The performers will advocate for improved health for those working in music, theatre, dance and other arts sectors, joining BAPAM’s established list of patrons, which includes Grammy award winning Dame Evelyn Glennie CH DBE, renowned cellist and conductor Julian Lloyd Webber OBE and BBC Radio 4 and Classic FM presenter Zeb Soanes.

The new patrons - already active in promoting the health and wellbeing of performers - will join BAPAM this evening at a VIP event at the Royal College of Music in London, which is being held to mark the charity’s 40th anniversary and to celebrate its achievements and ongoing efforts to promote safer and healthier careers in the performing arts.

Sheila Atim MBE is a renowned actor and musician, who was nominated for the 2023 BAFTA Rising Star Award and is a recipient of two Olivier Awards, as well as the Chopard Trophy for emerging actors presented at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. Recognised as a Screen Star of Tomorrow in 2021 and one of Variety’s '10 Brits to Watch' in 2020, she also appeared on Forbes’ '30 Under 30' list the same year. Sheila is a trustee at The Old Vic Theatre and has an impressive portfolio of work in film, television and theatre.

Johnny Marriott, lead singer of PET NEEDS, has toured the world extensively with the band, who recently achieved a Top 20 UK album with their third record, Intermittent Fast Living. A proponent for improved health in music, his lyrics often reflect the physical and mental health impact of a creative lifestyle and he writes openly about his experiences in his blog, Nobody Ever Warned Us.

Claire Cordeaux, CEO of BAPAM, commented: "For an organisation that has supported thousands of UK performing artists over the last 40 years, it is a joy for BAPAM to welcome these new patrons who believe in our mission. Sheila and Johnny, both exceptional talents in acting and music, will add incredible value to the efforts of our existing patrons and partners. They will amplify our message that supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of artists and professionals is essential in building a healthy and sustainable creative sector, and will help us to reach new communities who are yet to learn about the vital work we do. The announcement comes at such an exciting time for the charity, as we co-chair the Performing Arts Medicine Association’s first ever symposium in the UK, bringing together our global community of researchers, clinicians and performers to advance the emerging and increasingly-important specialism of performing arts medicine."

Sheila Atim MBE said: “BAPAM does wonderful work supporting artists and it is an honour to be joining the organisation to support it as a patron. I used its services many years ago and, ever since, I have placed health as a fundamental priority for a fulfilling career with longevity. As artists, we dedicate so much of ourselves to what we do, sometimes at the expense of wellbeing. BAPAM's work has helped to encourage a shift in this culture, fortifying an enduring community of happier and healthier artists. I look forward to the next 40 years of this uplifting charity.”

Johnny Marriott added: "As a touring musician in the rock scene, I have experienced both physical and mental illness. We are lucky to work in a creative industry, but it is also a challenging existence for a multitude of reasons. BAPAM's mission to support the health and wellbeing of people in the performing arts is essential work and I am proud to be a patron of the charity."

Earlier this year, BAPAM’s data revealed that in 2023 musculoskeletal injuries were the predominant health concern among performing arts professionals, accounting for over 40% of all medical consultations it delivered, followed by mental health issues (32%) and vocal health problems (15%). 

Tonight’s event will bring together 200 representatives from the medical community, research, academia and the performing arts sector, and will culminate in a concert by the Consone Quartet. It marks the beginning of the 42nd Annual PAMA International Symposium (18-21 July), the world’s largest event focused on performing arts health, taking place in London for the first time. The symposium is co-chaired by BAPAM, University College London (UCL), and the Chicago Institute for Voice Care (CIVC).