Support Act has shared a new report regarding the wellbeing of music and creative arts workers, with nearly a fifth of respondents reporting a total annual income that sits below the poverty line.
The report, Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Creative Industries Australia 2024 was prepared in conjunction with Dr Aurora Elmes and Emma Riseley from The Centre for Social Impact Swinburne with support from Entertainment Assist.
Building on the 2022 survey, 1,518 music and creative workers participated in the report and detailed the challenges they face in an industry still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The research found that nearly a fifth (19.6%) of respondents reported a take-home income from their creative work that sat below the poverty line for a single person.
Other significant challenges within the sector include cost of living (68.1%), low-level income from the creative industries (56.5%), burnout and fatigue (51.7%), job insecurity (43.2%), lack of opportunities due to venue closures, festival cancellations and other external factors (43%), and the high cost of business (42.9%).
In addition to work-focused challenges, respondents responded with “elevated psychological distress.” 53.5% of participants reported high or very high levels of psychological distress, which is “concerningly high” compared to the general population (15%, Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021), but lower than the 2022 report (66.1%).
Not looking to lose hope, Support Act’s report cited the need to “improve safety and conditions” in workplace environments, which includes investment in equipment and resources, awareness of the importance of mental health and its impact on work, and greater investment in First Nations Arts and Culture, to increase positive outcomes within the sector.
Support Act CEO Clive Miller said the report “shines a light” on issues that have impacted music and creative workers’ lives in a post-COVID environment.
Dr Ash King, Support Act Wellbeing Content & Programs Lead and Psychologist, added, “Creative arts workers are diverse and resilient, but many are facing real and confronting challenges that will, for many, 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 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.”
Respondents also called for “systemic and practical changes,” such as more significant financial support and coordinated efforts to improve working conditions and increase work opportunities within the industry.
A survey respondent said, “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.”
You can read the full report here.
