October was Mental Health Month, and we wanted to extend that conversation beyond the month by highlighting one of the national organisations doing important work to support the wellbeing of people working in the creative industries.
Support Act is a national charity providing mental health, wellbeing and practical support to people working across Australia’s music and wider creative industries. Through its range of programs, services and resources, Support Act is helping to build healthier, safer and more sustainable creative communities.
Whether you’re a sole trader, an independent creative practitioner or part of a creative organisation, Support Act offers a range of support to help you navigate the challenges of working in the creative sector.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Support
Social Work Support
Wellbeing Helpline
Resources
Crew Resources
Crisis Relief Support and Grants (musicians and music workers specifically)
Workplace Offerings including online and in person workshops
Support Act as a workplace EAP
AusMusic T-Shirt Day
This month, Support Act is running its iconic fundraising campaign, AusMusic T-Shirt Day. Money raised through this campaign helps Support Act deliver Crisis Relief Grants, free counselling through the Support Act Wellbeing Helpline, mental health education and training and dedicated First Nations programs lead by First Nations practitioners.
Behind every song you love are the artists, managers, crew and techs who make it happen. Many of them face real hardship: music workers experience psychological distress at nearly four times the national average, and more than a third live below the poverty line. When illness, injury or other crisis strikes, Support Act is the music industry’s safety net. You don’t have to go far into the music sector to find examples of how Support Act has helped. One of RAV’s cherished community members recently reached out to share their personal experience with Support Act,
“My partner has contributed to the Australian Music industry for well over 40 years. He is a humble though talented muso who has always stepped up to support industry colleagues and initiatives. With a need to step away from touring for a spell to focus on his health, Support Act now do the same for him as he has always done for others – cared. As his partner, I can’t say enough about them as an organisation. They listen, they understand, they never judge and they support artists when and if the going gets tough. To know Support Act are there and understand means so much to us.”
Every dollar raised through AusMusic T-Shirt Day goes towards helping keep Aussie music on rotation.
Free online mental health and wellbeing sessions for RAV Members
RAV’s partnership with Support Act launched in September and we’ve had the privilege of helping bring practical mental health and wellbeing training to RAV Members.
Until January 2027, RAV Members can join a series of free Support Act MINIs — 60-minute, topic-specific online workshops designed to build practical mental health and psychosocial safety skills for creative workplaces.
Each MINI focuses on one key challenge and one set of practical skills, giving you strategies and tools you can put into practice straight away. Whether you join the whole series or choose the sessions most relevant to you, MINIs offer a flexible way to build your confidence and skills around mental health and wellbeing at work.
Join the series
RAV Members can register for individual sessions or join the full series
Thursday 12 November – Boundaries
Thursday 3 December – Creative Sustainability
Thursday 21 January – Goal-Setting & Motivation
All sessions are delivered online and are free for RAV Members.
Delivered with support from Creative Workplaces.