SUPPORT ACT RELEASES NEW REPORT INTO THE WELLBEING OF MUSIC AND CREATIVE ARTS WORKERS

A new report, Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Creative Industries Australia 2024, prepared by Dr Aurora Elmes and Emma Riseley from The Centre for Social Impact Swinburne with support from Entertainment Assist, was released today by the Australian music industry’s charity, Support Act.

The report builds on the last survey undertaken in 2022, with 1,518 workers across music and the broader creative industries detailing the challenges they face even in a largely COVID-recovered working environment.

According to this research, it remains challenging for many creative workers to make a liveable income from their creative work.

Almost a fifth (19.6%) of all respondents reported a total annual income that sits below the poverty line (Melbourne Institute 2024) for a working single person.

Opportunity for work, decent employment conditions and adequate income are key issues for creative workers – particularly in light of increased living costs and the costs of doing business.

Respondents surveyed were asked about their biggest challenges working in the sector:

• 68.1% said cost of living
• 56.5% said low level of income from working in creative industries
• 51.7% said burnout and fatigue
• 43.2% said job insecurity
• 43% said lack of opportunities due to external impacts like venue closures and festival cancellations
• 42.9% said the high cost of doing business.

Support Act CEO, Clive Miller, says of the report, “Music and creative industry workers have experienced so much disruption over the past five years, and this updated survey shines a light on the issues that are impacting their mental health and wellbeing in a post-COVID environment, along with some recommendations from participants about what things need to change to ensure improved mental health outcomes over the long term.”

The report found elevated psychological distress among music and creative arts workers.

Over half of the survey participants (53.5%) reported high or very high levels of psychological distress. While this constitutes a reduction since the 2022 survey results amidst the full effects of the COVID pandemic (66.1%), it is still concerningly high as compared to the general population (15%, Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021).

Dr Ash King, Support Act Wellbeing Content & Programs Lead and Psychologist says of the report, “creative arts workers are diverse and resilient, but many are facing real and confronting challenges that, for many, will impact their quality of work and quality of life.

These people make it possible for us to enjoy and be elevated by experiences of art and creativity, and if we recognise and appreciate what a vital role they play, we must do better valuing and supporting them.”

Dr Ash King further unpacks the report’s findings in a podcast with Dr. Aurora Elmes from CSI Swinburne set to be launched on October 15.

They report also cited improved safety and conditions of some workplace environments (e.g. investing in equipment or resources, or developing improved processes); increased awareness of the importance of mental health and the impact mental health has on creative work (even if more needed to be done to address this); and greater investment in First Nations Arts and Culture, as positive outcomes for the sector.

Dr Elmes said, “While our research found some evidence of industry recovery and lower distress than 2022, creative workers are clear further changes are needed to support creative work.”

Many respondents called for systemic and practical changes, including greater financial support and coordinated efforts across creative industries to improve working conditions and increase work opportunities for creative workers:

“We need ground up cultural appreciation for creative industries in this country… A lot of people don’t realise how good they feel when they engage with arts – and conversely, they don’t know what they’ll miss when it’s gone.” (survey respondent).

The survey was developed with input from /Craft, AccessEAP, APRA AMCOS, ARIA PPCA, Arts Wellbeing Collective, Australian Society of Authors, Association of Artist Managers, Creative Workplaces, CrewCare, Entertainment Assist, MEAA, Music NSW, Music SA, Music Victoria, National Association of Visual Artists, QMusic, Screen Australia, Screen Well and Theatre Network Australia.

The full report, and a summary report are available here