Mental Health First Aid in the Arts: Why It’s More Than a Certificate
In the performing arts and creative industries, people are often celebrated for their emotional depth, vulnerability, and authenticity. But behind the curtain, many face significant mental health challenges — and too often, the first signs go unnoticed, misunderstood, or unsupported.
That’s where Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) comes in.
Much like physical first aid, MHFA empowers everyday people to offer early support in a crisis — but in the arts, it has the potential to be even more transformative. When delivered through a creative lens, MHFA becomes a powerful tool to build safer rehearsal rooms, tour buses, production sets, and studios.
At Hey Mate, we’ve seen first-hand how MHFA training — when adapted to the arts — changes culture, saves careers, and in some cases, saves lives.
What Is Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)?
Developed in Australia and now delivered in over 25 countries, Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based training course that teaches participants how to:
Recognise the signs and symptoms of mental health challenges
Approach someone who may be struggling
Provide initial help and support
Guide them to appropriate professional services
MHFA is designed for non-clinicians — friends, colleagues, supervisors, tour managers, stage managers, volunteers, anyone who might be the first point of contact.
But in the creative sector, where emotional labour, freelance instability, and stigma often collide, MHFA is more than just a training — it’s a cultural shift.
Why Mental Health First Aid Matters in the Arts
According to Entertainment Assist and Victoria University (2015):
44% of arts workers experience symptoms of anxiety
1 in 3 report symptoms of depression
Suicidal ideation in the creative industries is six times higher than the general population
Yet most artists and arts workers say they are more likely to open up to a peer or colleague than a professional, especially in moments of distress.
That’s why peer-based early support is critical — and why MHFA, delivered in a way that reflects the creative experience, is so powerful.
The Hey Mate Approach to MHFA in the Arts
We don’t run MHFA courses in a generic classroom format. Our model is:
Creative-informed
We tailor the content to reflect life in the arts — irregular work, emotionally demanding projects, identity-based marginalisation, and project-based teams.
Trauma-aware and safe
We acknowledge the emotional content of the course, offer opt-outs and check-ins, and create psychologically safe spaces for learning and sharing.
Contextualised for creative workplaces
We explore specific industry scenarios: how to support someone backstage, during tech week, in auditions, during grant rejection, or on tour.
Peer-focused
Our training fosters collective care, not just individual awareness — empowering artists and workers to look after each other while avoiding burnout.
We’ve delivered creative-specific MHFA to Queensland Ballet, Brisbane Festiva, Screen Queenslan, and are continuing to work with arts companies, festivals, and training institutions to embed it across the sector.
What People Say After Creative MHFA
“This course should be mandatory for every company manager and artistic director.”
– Festival Producer
“The way it was delivered with understanding of the pressure we’re under — made all the difference.”
– Freelance Actor
“This has changed how we talk to each other in the green room. It’s created a culture of care.”
– Stage Manager
Why It’s More Than a Certificate
MHFA is not just about what you learn — it’s about how you apply it. In the arts, that means:
Being able to recognise signs of burnout, anxiety, or crisis backstage
Knowing what to say when a cast member is struggling but afraid to speak up
Intervening early before distress becomes a breakdown
Creating safety nets in high-pressure environments like tech weeks or tour
Reducing stigma around mental health in a culture that often celebrates overwork
When done well, MHFA becomes part of how a team functions. It builds trust, safety, and sustainability — the foundations of any successful creative environment.
How to Bring MHFA to Your Team
Hey Mate offers MHFA programs tailored to the creative sector, including:
Standard MHFA (12-hour) certification courses
Shorter creative wellbeing workshops
Peer Responder Programs that embed support roles across teams
Training for educators, tour managers, and team leads
Follow-up resources and wellbeing planning for your organisation
We offer flexible delivery formats online, in-person, or blended and can facilitate for small teams, large festivals, or national networks.
Additional Resources
13YARN – First Nations mental health support
It’s Time to Change the Culture of Care in the Arts
Training in mental health first aid should be as standard as fire warden training in an office. In the creative industries — where vulnerability is part of the work — that need is even greater.
Let’s go beyond certificates and tick-boxes. Let’s build real, responsive mental health cultures in our stages, studios, and sets.
To bring MHFA to your organisation, reach out to Hey Mate at:
Email: hello@heymateproject.org
Keywords: mental health first aid for creatives, MHFA in the arts, performing arts mental health training, how to support artists mental health, peer mental health support, creative industry wellbeing, EAP for the arts, trauma-informed training for artists
