Psychological Safety in Rehearsal Rooms, Studios, and Sets: Why It Matters More Than Ever
The creative process requires risk. Whether you’re stepping into a vulnerable role, testing a new choreography, or pitching an original concept — it takes courage to show up fully in your work. But courage can’t exist without safety.
Psychological safety — the belief that you can express yourself, make mistakes, and be yourself without fear of judgment or harm — is essential for creativity to thrive. In rehearsal rooms, studios, and on sets, it can be the difference between a toxic workplace and a transformative one.
At Hey Mate, we work with arts organisations, production teams, and educators to build psychologically safe environments where creativity and wellbeing go hand-in-hand.
What Is Psychological Safety?
Coined by Harvard researcher Dr. Amy Edmondson, psychological safety refers to a group culture where people feel:
Safe to take interpersonal risks
Free to speak up with ideas, questions, or concerns
Able to show up authentically without fear of ridicule or retribution
In the creative industries, this means fostering a space where people can:
Offer feedback
Share new or untested ideas
Disclose personal struggles
Set boundaries
Make mistakes without shame
And yet — many creatives don’t feel safe doing these things in their workplaces.
The State of Safety in the Arts
The arts have long romanticised “pushing limits” and “suffering for the craft.” But behind that mythology is a serious toll.
According to Safe to Create (NSW, 2023):
Over 60% of artists surveyed reported experiencing bullying, discrimination, or harassment
More than 70% had witnessed or experienced unsafe behaviours on set, in rehearsal, or in performance contexts
Only 1 in 3 believed their workplace actively fostered psychological safety
These figures align with findings from Entertainment Assist (2015), where workers in the Australian entertainment industry reported extremely high levels of anxiety, distress, and emotional exhaustion, often linked to unsafe or unsupported environments.
Why Psychological Safety Matters in Creative Workplaces
Psychological safety is not a luxury — it’s a foundation for:
1. Creativity and Innovation
When people feel safe, they take creative risks, explore bold ideas, and collaborate openly. Fear stifles originality.
2. Learning and Growth
Safe spaces allow people to try, fail, learn, and improve. This is especially critical in training institutions, rehearsal rooms, and labs.
3. Emotional Wellbeing
Creative work is often vulnerable. Without safety, it can become traumatic — especially for those working with lived experience, trauma-based content, or identity-driven narratives.
4. Equity and Inclusion
Marginalised artists (First Nations, culturally and linguistically diverse, LGBTQIA+, artists with disability) are often disproportionately impacted by unsafe environments. Safety is foundational to inclusive practice.
What a Psychologically Safe Rehearsal or Set Looks Like
Clear boundaries and expectations are set from day one
Mistakes are treated as learning opportunities, not failures
Emotional content is supported with wellbeing practices
Power dynamics are acknowledged and navigated with care
People feel they can speak up — and that their voices are heard
Directors, producers, and team leads model vulnerability, care, and accountability
There are formal systems for feedback, safety, and wellbeing
How Hey Mate Supports Creative Teams
We help organisations across the creative industries embed psychological safety into their culture through:
1. Workshops and Team Training
Psychological Safety in Practice
Trauma-Informed Rehearsal Rooms
Creative Boundaries and Communication
Leadership for Creative Team Leads
2. EAP Services and Wellbeing Plans
Confidential 1:1 support for staff and freelancers
Peer responder training for arts teams
Mental Health First Aid and critical incident response
3. Cultural Safety and Lived Experience Consulting
We collaborate with First Nations, neurodivergent, and disabled practitioners to help organisations ensure safety is intersectional and inclusive.
Steps to Build Psychological Safety in Your Creative Workplace
Start with leadership
Directors, producers, and managers must model vulnerability, listen well, and admit mistakes.Co-create codes of conduct
Develop shared agreements around respect, safety, and communication.Embed wellbeing roles
Assign a wellbeing coordinator or peer responder — especially on intense or identity-driven projects.Prioritise pre- and post-care
When working with emotionally charged material, build in support around the process.Invest in training
Equip your team with language and strategies for building safety, especially for emerging leaders.Don’t wait for crisis
Make safety part of your everyday practice — not just a response to complaints or burnout.
Resources and Supports
Let’s Make Psychological Safety a Creative Standard
The best art is made when people feel safe to bring their whole selves to the work.
We owe it to our collaborators, students, teams, and audiences to create spaces where everyone is heard, held, and valued.
If you’re ready to make psychological safety part of your rehearsal room, festival, or organisation — Hey Mate can help.
Connect with us at:
Email: hello@heymateproject.org
Keywords: psychological safety in the arts, safe rehearsal room practices, trauma-informed theatre, mental health in creative industries, wellbeing for artists, inclusive rehearsal spaces, EAP for artists, safe arts workplaces, emotional safety on set, creative team leadership training
