Back in the day we all thought that working in the music industry was nothing but hopping from studio to studio, figuring out which giant stadium to play next week and fighting adoring fans off with a stick.
Early last year it became all too clear that unfortunately that is not the case, and today more information has come to light reiterating the point that working in the music industry is not quite all it is cracked up to be.
Entertainment Assist and Victoria University have partnered together on a report titled ‘Working in the Australian Entertainment Industry: Final Report’, which uncovers some serious health and wellbeing concerns.
The report consists of the findings from in-depth interviews with 36 professional in the industry as well as an online survey of 2904 workers, representing all sectors of the entertainment industry, including performers, producers, roadies, crew and sound and lighting technicians.
According to the report, suicidal thoughts are six times more likely among those working in music than the average, while suicidal planning is four times as common and actual attempts are more than double that of the general population. Furthermore, indicators of anxiety both moderate and severe are ten times higher, and symptoms of depression can be five times as high.
The report also found that workers suffered sleep disorders and insomnia at rates far greater than that of the general population and that – surprise, surprise – they don’t get paid terribly well either, with 35% of all workers earning an annual income below $20,000.
“These findings strongly suggest the entertainment and cultural industry is in severe distress, and in urgent need of early prevention and intervention programs to reduce the impacts of those with health and wellbeing problems and to prevent new occurrences,” said Professor Adrian Fisher, Head of Psychology, College of Arts, Victoria University.
Overall, music industry professionals surveyed believe that they are passionate and committed to their creativity, but have difficulty negotiating their often negative work environment and don’t feel as thought they have support from the industry.
The report was not all negative though, offering up key recommendations to help address these health and wellbeing concerns. Entertainment Assist are aiming to utilise the findings to advocate for generational change, including the provision of tailored mental health training and education.
The full report can be found here.
If you or someone you know needs personal help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 224 636.
