BECOME A SMASH MEMBER

In partnership with many Seattle-area healthcare providers, SMASH connects our members with healthcare services including annual physicals, hearing screenings & custom ear protection, preventative & acute dental visits, vocal care, mental health counseling, harm-reduction resources, and healthcare navigation/resource-connecting.

The member application is free, easy, and confidential. SMASH is not a health insurance company or direct healthcare provider, and if you have health insurance you can still qualify for services.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

SMASH serves musicians of all types & genres living in our service area who earn income at or below SMASH’s income guidelines. You do not have to earn income from music, but must have performed, recorded, or composed music in the last 12 months to be eligible for services.

OUR SERVICE AREA

SMASH serves musicians and music teachers living in King, Snohomish, Pierce, Mason, Kitsap, or Thurston counties.

ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD* INCOME GUIDELINES

(determined by looking at 400% of the 2025 Federal Poverty Line)

Household of 1: $60,240 ($5,020/mo)
Household of 2: $81,760 ($6,183/mo)
Household of 3: $103,280 ($8,606/mo)
Household of 4: $124,800 ($10,400/mo)

* SMASH determines household size by looking at all individuals living in the same home AND depend on a shared income (e.g., married or common-law spouses, dependent children, other dependent family members). Roommates are not included in household size determination UNLESS all rely on the same income to meet all expenses (e.g., non-married partners relying on the same source(s) of income, bandmates who live together that rely on the same source(s) of income).

CASE-BY-CASE APPROACH

We understand that musicians often face fluctuating income due to the nature of their work, and that sudden or ongoing expenses can really impact our ability to take care of ourselves and our health. That’s why we offer some flexibility to our income eligibility criteria if your monthly earnings exceed our guidelines.

If you’re experiencing financial hardship due to (but not limited to):

Unexpected and debilitating medical expenses
Childcare or caregiving costs
Lost income from canceled gigs or contracts
Recent health issues that have impacted your ability to work and/or perform

You may still qualify for our services, and we encourage you to still apply! A SMASH team member may ask for a few extra documents to better understand your circumstances.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

SMASH looks at net monthly income when determining whether you meet the income limit for your household size.

As a self-employed musician, there are a couple of ways you can determine your net monthly income. The easiest ways are to:

Look at your tax refund from the previous filing year and find the line that gives you your "Business Income or (loss)" amount. If your income has stayed mostly the same, you can use this number.
Use your most recent three-month profit and loss statement to find your monthly income. This is determined by taking each month's gross earnings and subtracting that month's total of allowable IRS business expenses. If your income has changed a lot, this is the best number to use.

If your income has changed significantly from last year, and you're not 100% sure what the amount of your expenses were--you can figure out your net monthly household income by using DSHS’ standard deduction of 20% of the household’s gross earned income for your last month of income.

That's okay, we can still help! If you put in an application, and don't end up qualifying for membership, we'll move your account to our “Non-Member Musician” group.

You won't be eligible for our free or low-cost health services, but we'll still be able to support you with resources like:

Help with navigating health insurance enrollment and finding financial grants
Access to free online resources through our non-member portal
Wellness workshops hosted by SMASH
A pair of Etymotic earplugs (put in a request when you get accepted, and we’ll send them your way!)

If your income ever changes and you think you'll be eligible for membership, you can submit a form in the Non-Member portal or reach out to the Member Services team at MemberServices@SMASHSeattle.org for a re-evaluation.

The SMASH member application is free and confidential. Your contact information will never be sold for any reason. We are not a health insurance provider; if you have insurance, you can still qualify for SMASH services.

MEMBER ELIGIBILITY

To become a SMASH member, you must be a musician and/or a music teacher who performs, records, teaches, or composes music within the SMASH service area, has done so in the past 12 months, and falls at or under our income guidelines.

SMASH SERVICE AREA: