Health and Well being Resources:
Mig Burgess, Lighting Technician, Lighting Designer and Lecturer, discusses the impact of the pandemic on the live events and entertainments sector and some of the key issues face by workers who suffer from mental health.
Relevant Organisations:
Applause for Thought: facilitates free and low cost mental health support, talks, consultancy and mental health training for those working in the arts and entertainment industry.
Be Extra: a centre for wellbeing in the arts. Be Extra is new, non-profit organisation founded by creatives for whom the arts are central to their lives and mental health.
BackUp – The Technican Entertainment Charity: provides financial support to entertainment technology industry professionals who are seriously ill or injured or to their surviving family members.
BAPAM – The British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) is a unique charity set up to help anyone working in live performance to stay healthy.
In addition, the ISM Members Fund may be able to meet the costs of necessary treatment for members unable to cover these themselves.
BAPAM hosts free online one-to-one advice sessions on Health and Wellbeing: they holds free clinics where practitioners can obtain a free consultation with a clinician who has expertise appropriate to those who work in the performing arts.These are currently being done via telephone. To book an appointment call 0207 804 844
CALM Helpline: 0800 58 58 58, 7 days a week, 5pm-Midnight. Support, information and signposting, available to anyone.
Cow Shed for Event Industry Professionals
“This is a fully confidential, mental health peer support group, primarily aimed at those working in the entertainment Industry, yet we are open to all.
What we hope to provide is a safe open place, where people can seek support, advice, help or offer the same. We are not professional counsellors but collectively we have all been through a lot. From depression to addiction, loss and just plain old stressed out. Through our experience, we’ve found that one person alone can do it, yet we can never do it alone. We are all here to ask for help, to listen or to offer help.”
Culture Health and Wellbeing Alliance: a library of resources on different topics including freelance support and guidance for working online. The Alliance is also the secretariat of the APPG for Arts, Health and Wellbeing.
Developing Workplace Cultures: A blog post from the AMA on how workplaces can become better at meeting the wellbeing and mental health needs of employees.
Every Mind Matters An NHS resource providing simple tips and advice to start taking better care of your mental health.
Headspace app is a mindfulness mobile phone application with exercises and podcasts aimed at helping you find more joy, less stress and a better nights sleep. It has a free option, and a subscription option.
Hub of Hope: a NHS weblink that you put your post code into click the support you are looking for and it finds ALL the local options in your area
Industry Minds : Operates a confidential and vital service for those in the arts with counseling, Graduate Support Programme
Inc Arts Minds: Inc Arts have partnered with Chanua Health to provide free group therapy led by qualified counsellors for people who have experienced racism. Available for anyone working in the arts, museums and libraries in the UK.
March Network for anyone in the Arts, Culture or Heritage Sectors. It is one of 8 national networks funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as part of the 2018 Cross-Council Mental Health Plus call to further research into mental health.
Mind.org.uk: Information and signposting service, available to anyone.
Music Support – who also have a help line and offer a free subscription to the thrive app. 0800 030 6789, Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm. Listening service for anyone working in the UK music industry.
My Whole Self Campaign: Find out more about the campaign for workplace culture change using the link above!
Playing Sane: this organisation is dedicated to improving mental health experiences for actors, their colleagues and carers. They have a collection of free, downloadable resources including printable posters and handouts.
Reset Better originally started as a small group of PMF members during The Great Pause of 2020/21 brainstorming the ideas around going back to an industry that has a better work/life balance and how the mindset of “We’ve always done it this way” has left many of our co-workers burnt out and mentally scarred as they compete in the workplace contending with low pay, long hours and often little respect for their part in helping to create world-beating art.
The Samaritans: 116 123, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Listening and support for anyone struggling to cope.
SAFERTheatre – Improving Workplace Health*: a blog written for us by Phill Brown, SOLT and UK Theatre’s Head of Risk
Scottish Ballet’s wellness work*: An article written by Sebastian Cater, our Head of UK Theatre and Workforce Development, on how Scottish Ballet are supporting wellness in the workplace
Solas Mind: offer counselling, coaching, training and wellbeing support to the theatre, TV and film industries.
TALK for anyone in the entertainment industry this is a Twitter based peer to peer support group.
Time for Change Mental Health Charter
TheatreSupport.info– offers centralised information about how and where you can access support if you work in the theatre industry.
TheatreHelpline.org is a free, independent and confidential phone and email service that provides support to people working in the theatre industry. Trained staff are available to offer support and signposting on any topic which affects your wellbeing.
The Theatrical Guild: are a UK charity for backstage and front of house workers, with over 125 years’ experience helping people.
You can talk to them about practical help at any stage of your career – from welfare and debt advice to financial support and counseling. The Theatrical Guild helps people across the UK to recover from ill health, overcome sudden set-backs, expand their skillsets, or speak with a counsellor. Every application is handled in total confidence and we will never speak to your employer about your circumstances.
Theatre Means Business Mental Health and Well-being seminars: digital learning resources for people working in off-stage roles in Theatre.
UK NAWC (National Arts Wellbeing Collective) is made up of individuals and organisations who are committed to improve health and well being of people working with or for us in the arts, cultural and heritage employment sectors of the UK. They are a fantastic resource where you can find guidance and information about health and well-being, services, charities and organisations that can assist you.
Wellbeing in Theatre: provides mental health and wellbeing support to theatre organisations and their employees (including freelancers) by offering access to trained Counsellors, wellbeing advice, workshops and drop-in mental health surgeries.
Zero Suicide Alliance: is a collaboration of National Health Service trusts, charities, businesses and individuals who are all committed to suicide prevention in the UK and beyond. We are an alliance of people and organisations coming together around one basic principle: Suicide is preventable
Mental Health Resources:
Working Minds campaign from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to help employers and managers to prevent stress and support good mental health. The campaign brings together all the resources you need to get started including templates and free online learning.
UK Gov Guidance on mental health which you may want to share with your workforce
WhiteLight’s Kindness Spotlight: Looking After Your Mental Health – a few practical tips to ensure that we all continue to look after our wellbeing on a regular basis and that caring for our mental health remains a constant priority.
Article: Blackout Undertakes Pioneering Mental Health Research at PLASA 2019
Lucy Heyman’s research on musicians’ health and wellbeing
Museums and Galleries and wellbeing Art Fund Report
Professor Rosie Perkins’ research at the Royal College of Music
The Looking Glass Mental Health and Wellbeing study commissioned by the Film and TV Charity
Working & Well-being
A Balancing Act: The young professional’s guide to mental health while remote working and career planning
With the extended lockdown, promoting the health & safety of your workers is vital. IOSH have created guidance to explain how we can help develop a positive mindset when working remotely.
Working from home: A guide to creating a healthy and productive workspace at home: includes practical tips and advice to manage health and maintain work-life balance whilst working from home.
Working from home – Creative ways to support mental health
Relevant Online Training:
Creating an Organisation Resilience Checklist*: this free recorded webinar helps employers gain an understanding of a resilient working culture, and what your organisation needs to cultivate this.
Creating Your Racism Defence Strategy*: this free recorded webinar explores the impact of racism and strategies to support people who experience both direct and systemic racism.
Good, Bad and Ugly Stress*: a free recorded webinar exploring fun and achievable ways of tackling stress and unpicking what it actually is.
Leading a Resilient Team*: this free recorded webinar explores the neuroscience behind resilience, and helps managers develop practical strategies to help staff build strength and adaptability.
Leading Healthy and Productive Teams*: a free recorded webinar to help managers understand the moral, legal and financial arguments for managing wellbeing, and the prevention of stress.
Looking after your body to look after your mind*: this free recorded webinar explores proven techniques that fit easily into everyday life, using your body to keep stress in place.
Managing Occupational Health and Wellbeing: this online training course from IOSH provides practical advice and tools for managers to help create a healthy and productive place of work.
Managing Teams Through Rapid and Complex Change*: a free recorded webinar covering practical psychological models of change to help managers understand why individuals and teams respond the way they do and what to do about it.
Mental Health First Aid: Applause for Thought, Creative Freedom, Dolly Mental Health and Solas Mind run MHFA courses for the creative and cultural sector.
Mindfulness for Theatre Professionals*: this free recorded webinar in an informal and experiential introduction to mindfulness, exploring the intersection between wellbeing, self-care and neuroscience.
Suicide First Aid: suicide prevention training that teaches and practices the skills and knowledge needed to identify someone who may be thinking about suicide and competently intervene to help create suicide-safety as a first-aid approach.
Staying Resilient in Uncertain Times*: this free recorded webinar covers tools, tips and techniques to build resilience.
Ways to Wellness*: a free recorded webinar covering proactive ways in which to redefine, understand and prioritise looking after your mental health and wellbeing.
Zero Suicide Alliance provide a range of awareness training options, which provide a better understanding of the signs to look out for and the skills required to approach someone who is struggling, whether that be through social isolation or suicidal thoughts.
Other Relevant Resources:
Change, Grow, Live: Crisis and Advice Helpline
Alcoholics Anonymous: 0800 917 7650 (24-hour helpline)
National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133 (daily, 8am to midnight)
Narcotics Anonymous 0300 999 1212 (daily, 10am to midnight)
Screen and mobile device addiction
ABTT Seminars:
Relevant podcasts: