‘Mental Health Is Not Just A Trend, But The Foundation’: Mindtrust Global Network Launches

Lina Ugrinovska is one of the music industry’s most outspoken champions on the topic of mental health. The booking agent and promoter from Macedonia relocated to New York a while back, but her focus hasn’t changed. As a member of the Recording Academy, Ugrinovska has been actively proposing advocacy efforts around mental health and well-being within its network, pushing for these topics to take a more prominent space in industry discourse.

Being right at the heart of one of the world’s most important music cities, she’s feeling more inspired than ever. At the same time, it’s obvious that “people, in general, are more exhausted than ever. Burnout has become somewhat of a general state of existence for many,” she says.

Which is why Ugrinovska, together with a tight-knit group of some of the industry’s bright minds and hearts, has launched the Mindtrust Global Network, which aims to set a worldwide standard for mental health initiatives within the creative industries.

Mindtrust Global Network, in Ugrinovska’s words, “is a coalition and consultancy model that empowers creative professionals, companies, and events to take real action around mental health. By committing to at least one well-being-focused initiative annually, members gain access to a global support system of resources, collaborators, and strategic guidance.”

“Initiative” is a studiously vague term, to highlight that sky’s the limit when it comes to the exact nature of the commitment. A music conference may put on a keynote interview with a mental wellbeing expert; companies could hold team-building events; the deciding factor is that participants in the Mindtrust Global Network pledge “to do something for their employees once a year that’s connected to their well-being. If they don’t have any ideas, or need some inspiration, they can fall back on the Mindtrust network, which can provide speakers, activities, workshops, masterclasses. The whole point is to implement this as a must: there must be one activity every year,” Ugrinovska explains.

There is no membership fee. At launch, the Mindtrust Global Network is a privately funded initiative. The only incentive to join is an inherent wish to become part of a global network committed to a topic that’s gained much momentum in recent years.

“If someone is wondering what they are getting out of it,” says Ugrinovska, “it’s coverage, exposure, and free promotion of their event or business on a global stage. Because everything you’re gonna do as part of the Mindtrust Global Network will be promoted through the whole network.”

In the long run, Ugrinovska hopes that becoming Mindtrust certified will carry the same importance in the eyes of companies and individuals as some environmental standards and initiatives out there, which are considered badges of honor to be paraded proudly.

According to Ugrinovska, “it’s a standard you commit to. Something you stand behind to say, ‘we are a very conscious and socially responsible company, individual, event, whatever’. They receive a badge from the Mindtrust Global Network, which they put on at their event. Eventually we’ll have an entire catalog of events, making it easy for them to exchange knowledge, best practices, to make guest appearances at each other’s events, etc.”

An official launch event is planned for New York City in April 2026, where the initiative will be introduced to the broader creative community. The Mindtrust board is composed of international professionals across the music and creative industries, ensuring a wide-reaching and inclusive perspective.

At the moment, there’s an open call for anyone interested in joining. “We aim to have at least 1,000 members within the first 12 months of going live, which is very possible. We’re already at around 150 without announcing anything,” says Ugrinovska.

“We’re intentionally not focusing on names or titles right now,” she explains. “This isn’t about who gets a seat at the table — it’s about building a longer table. Mindtrust is for anyone ready to take action and make well-being a real priority, not just a slogan. We don’t need more gatekeeping. We need shared responsibility.”

Anyone interested in joining the Mindtrust Global Network can do so via the official website: www.mindtrust.network.

Once submitted, a member of the team will be in touch to welcome them into a growing global community dedicated to well-being in the creative industries, and committed to sharing resources, supporting each other’s initiatives, and advancing the culture around mental health.

Mindtrust also offers consultancy services for organizations looking to design and implement well-being-focused programs, virtually or in person, ensuring every member has the tools and support to take meaningful action.

The more businesses and individuals join the Mindtrust Global Network, the more valuable the badge of honor becomes, of course. The team will monitor whether members live up to their pledges. Failure to implement at least one mental health-related practice per year will result in the loss of membership.

“I’m very doubtful of how serious people are in any industry regarding mental health, or if they’re just paying lip service,” Ugrinovska concludes. “That’s why Mindtrust really exists. To make it clear that mental health is not just a trend, but the foundation upon which every successful business is built.”

In addition to Mindtrust, Ugrinovska recently launched Insight Engine, a creative consultancy that produces human behavior-based briefs for companies, venues, and cultural brands. While traditional data briefs offer statistics, Insight Engine focuses on the emotional and cultural insights behind audience behavior, and helps creative teams understand not just what people do, but why they do it.

“Companies have been paying for data to navigate decisions,” she explains, “but creative briefs rooted in human emotion are the future of forecasting in our industries.” Insight Engine helps clients craft strategy, storytelling, and programming that resonates, because at the heart of every campaign, there’s one goal, according to Ugrinovska, “a human reaction.”

Subscribe to Pollstar HERE