Arts Wellbeing Collective launches innovative training program

Arts Centre Melbourne’s Arts Wellbeing Collective has launched a ground-breaking new training program developed by the industry for the industry to create mentally healthy workplaces and widespread systemic change. The program, open to both individuals and organisations educates performing arts workers on how to make positive change to their and their team’s mental wellbeing and tackle the unique challenges facing the arts sector.

The Arts Wellbeing Collective’s training program, supported by the Ron and Margaret Dobell Foundation, includes new full-day, half-day and two-hour in-person and online workshops. The workshops focus on designing and implementing creative self-care, creating mentally healthy workplaces and Mental Health First Aid. They have been categorised based on who the wellbeing support is intended for – individuals, members of a specific work group or the collective responsibility of an organisation.

Arts Wellbeing Collective Learning and Engagement Manager Claire Pearson:

Everyone benefits from a safer workplace.

We know from an industry wide survey conducted in 2022, over 35 per cent of those who work in the performing arts have reported a current mental health condition and over 66 per cent had high or very high levels of psychological distress, which is 4 times greater than the general population.

Increasing understanding of mental health reduces stigma and encourages awareness and early help-seeking. By moving away from an attitude of ‘we’ll deal with it when it happens’, you not only safeguard your and your employees’ wellbeing, but your reputation and financial situation.

The Arts Wellbeing Collective followed the ‘Me, We, Us’ model* when developing the program.

Pearson:

We encourage performing arts organisations to take a strengths based and preventative focus approach on mental health and this training program will give organisations and individuals the opportunity to do just that.

The training has tiered individual rates per course, aiming to keep training affordable for arts workers and groups. The workshops are delivered in- person in Melbourne, however online sessions are open to all and the Arts Wellbeing Collective will continue to also provide free resources online.

The Arts Wellbeing Collective is an industry-led workplace mental health initiative by Arts Centre Melbourne. The Collective began in 2017 after the release of research from Victoria University, commissioned by Entertainment Assist in which performing arts workers across all roles reported significantly higher levels of mental distress than the general population (van den Eynde, Fisher & Sonn, 2016).

Recent research has demonstrated there is a continued need for mental health support for arts workers. On-stage or off stage the Arts Wellbeing Collective supports and empowers the performing arts sector to create mentally healthy workplaces, for the benefit of the community.

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Photo Credit: Teresa Harrison