About

green-squiggle

What do we do?

Awards

Winner, Principal Award 2021

Mental Health Promotion or Mental Illness Prevention Award

Winner, Principal Award 2021

Most Outstanding Fundraising Project, FIA Awards for Excellence

Joint winner 2021

Best Pivot Award, FIA Awards for Excellence

Finalist 2020 & 2021 Claire Spencer AM

Australian Mental Health Prize

WINNER 2019

Martin Seligman Health and Wellbeing Award, AHRI Awards

FINALISTS 2017, 2018 & 2019

The VicHealth Awards, Improving Mental Wellbeing

FINALIST 2017

The Australian HR Awards, Best Health & Wellbeing Program

Why were we founded?

Of the entertainment industry workers surveyed:

0 %
Experienced symptoms of moderate to severe depression
0 %
Experienced symptoms of moderate to severe anxiety

Our Timeline

2016

Arts Centre Melbourne is exploring mental health and wellbeing programs for the Arts Centre Melbourne team. At the same time, research emerges highlighting a striking discrepancy in prevalence of mental health problems between performing arts workers across all roles and the general population.

Recognising that the issues are sector-wide, Arts Centre Melbourne conceives the Arts Wellbeing Collective with a small group of partners and supporters.

2016
2017

The Arts Wellbeing Collective Pilot Program is launches in February and concludes in November. 

An independent review found there was ‘a desire for the program to continue and expand… There was relief that the program had started and gratitude to Arts Centre Melbourne for making it happen.”                            

2017
2018

In-depth strategy and planning gather pace. Funding is secured from WorkSafe Victoria’s WorkWell Mental Health Improvement Fund. Program officially launches on World Mental Health Day 10 October, 2018.

2018
2019

Year 1 of program roll out. Focus areas include touring, performance, de-role, production, reducing stigma, and access to support for those outside organisational structures.

2019
2020

Year 2 of program roll out. Focus areas include performance thriving, creating mentally healthy workplaces and creative self-care. COVID-19 significantly impacts the industry. The Arts Wellbeing Collective pivots to increased digital delivery of resources and services. Arts Centre Melbourne’s Emergency Appeal seeks funds to fast-track Arts Wellbeing Collective initiatives.

2020
2021

Year 3 of program roll out. Focus areas include supporting COVID-Safe re-openings, leading through change and uncertainty, and creating mentally healthy workplaces. COVID-19 continues to significantly impact the industry, creating ever-growing demand for the Arts Wellbeing Collective’s resources, programs and services.

2021

To date, the Collective has:

0
member organisations
0
individual members
0
workshops and presentations, both in person and online
0
people nationally and internationally
0
tailored mental health resources and workshops
0
performing arts companies
0
performing arts workers

The Arts Wellbeing Collective currently aims to:

On Tuesday, our Lived Experience Advisory Group gathered at Arts Centre Melbourne for a day of future planning.
The Arts Wellbeing Collective has paired up with five Australian performing artists to create Digital Shorts – bite sized videos on some of our most requested topics!
The Arts Wellbeing Collective has joined LinkedIn! Staying up to date with us is now easier than ever.
Introducing our Lived Experience Advisory Group plus New Mental Health Matinees for Alter State festival
We’ve extended our engagement survey to Sunday 8 May 2022. We’d love to hear from you!

SUBSCRIBE