This month we’re taking a look at making music a safer place to work.
We had a chat with MusicNT’s All Good Project about how they’re shaping safety at work in the music industry, beyond just the physical measures.
Next, we take you through a day in the life of a Support Act social worker offering on site mental health and wellbeing support for the live production staff working on a large scale arena tour.
We’ve also got some useful tips for burnout, and the latest news to get you up to speed!
Best wishes,
Clive Miller
CEO
MusicNT’s All Good Project works with local live music venues across the Northern Territory to create safer spaces for staff, performers and patrons. In this piece the team highlights that safety at work isn’t just about reacting to issues that happen along the way, it’s about proactively building it into the everyday.
“We do this work because music should feel good. And when people feel safe to be fully themselves, we get the best out of them. Whether they’re playing a set, dancing in the crowd, mixing the sound, or pouring a beer, everyone deserves to feel that they safely belong.”
Read the full article where the team talks about Be a Legend – a strengths-based behaviour change campaign designed to make good behaviour admirable, and to flip the script from shame to positivity.
Inspired by the feedback of our social work team, who were engaged by Live Nation to provide support to crew workers as part of the busy 2024 touring season, we share some common themes and issues that crew workers face while working on these huge shows, including homesickness and fatigue.
Also explored is the influence that positive leadership can have on a team, and the impact this has on their work, morale, and motivation.
For music and creative workers, maintaining softness in a harsh world can be a challenge, but it is also crucial for cultivating the openness and receptivity essential to sustainable creativity, resilience and wellbeing.
Here are three actionable tips to help stay grounded and gentle in the face of pressures:
1. Create Boundaries for Emotional and Creative Energy
Set clear boundaries between work and personal life. This means knowing when to step back from the demands of your craft to rest, recharge, and reconnect with yourself. As a creative, it’s easy to burn out by overextending your emotional and mental energy. Schedule regular time away from work (even if it’s just short breaks) and establish practices like “shutdown rituals” at the end of the day—whether that’s a walk, meditation, or just putting away your tools to protect your creative energy.
2. Cultivate a Supportive Network
Surround yourself with a circle of people who understand your creative journey and can offer emotional support. This includes fellow musicians, artists, mentors, or friends who don’t just focus on results or external success but value you as a person. A support network is vital for maintaining softness because it helps combat the isolation and pressure often felt in the creative industry. Sharing experiences with like-minded people can also foster a sense of belonging and validation beyond external accomplishments.
3. Practice Mindful Creation
Incorporate mindfulness into your creative process. Instead of constantly pushing for perfection or chasing trends, embrace the process itself as a form of expression and self-care. Allow yourself to experiment, make mistakes, and flow without judgment. When you can stay present and non-judgmental with your work, you cultivate softness by letting go of the fear of failure or external criticism. Practicing mindfulness also helps you stay grounded, stay connected to your emotions, and avoid getting overwhelmed by the harsh realities of the industry.
By implementing these strategies, you can soften the challenges and maintain the purity of your creative drive while navigating the weighty pressures of the world around you.
NEWS
Vote Music
This month, nineteen leading music organisations launched Vote Music 2025, a national call to action urging all political parties to commit to a stronger future for Australian music.
This election is a critical moment for the future of Australian music. The industry is calling for the next Parliament to build on recent progress and take the next big step so that Australian music is heard, valued, and supported across the country and globally.
Vote Music 2025 is about futureproofing Australian music so it can continue to power jobs, build communities, and reach audiences at home and around the world.
WHY MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS
Thinking about registering for our upcoming session? Here’s a testimonial from someone who attended a session recently.
“Working through case studies was really beneficial. This is a brilliant workshop and I’d love to see more people in the music industry doing this training.”
PROGRAMS
Active Bystander Training
This session is a specialised music industry training workshop presented by CrewCare and Support Act, designed to educate members of the music crewing workforce how to actively intervene when witnessing sexual harassment, assault, discrimination and bullying.
TOOLS & TIPS
Support Act’s Mental Health Resources, specifically curated for those who work in music, is the perfect place to start!
With tips on how to tackle common mental health issues, free mental health resources, video series featuring some of your favourite artists and past mental health events, this is a great place to explore and support yourself through not so easy times.
Support Act acknowledges and pays its respects to First Nations peoples and recognises the role of intergenerational song practitioners in establishing the rich and diverse music practices that exist today.
