Why the Performing Arts Industry Needs Its Own Employee Assistance Program
When people think of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), they often imagine large corporate offices, HR departments, and Monday-to-Friday work schedules. But what happens when your workplace is a stage, your schedule changes weekly, and your work involves emotional vulnerability, irregular pay, and high public scrutiny?
That’s the everyday reality for performing artists and creative professionals — and it’s why the performing arts sector needs a specialised EAP designed with their needs in mind.
What is an EAP?
An Employee Assistance Program is a workplace wellbeing service that provides confidential counselling and mental health support to staff. In traditional industries, EAPs are common — offering short-term counselling, critical incident response, and wellbeing resources.
But in the creative industries, the traditional model often falls short.
The Challenges Unique to Performing Arts Workers
Performing arts professionals face a complex mix of emotional, physical, and economic pressures:
Inconsistent employment and income
Touring schedules, night shifts, and seasonal work
High rates of burnout and performance anxiety
Stigma around mental health and vulnerability
Lack of access to ongoing support in remote or regional areas
These conditions often create an invisible burden. And when standard EAPs don’t understand the industry or offer flexible, context-aware support, creatives are left feeling misunderstood or unsupported.
Why a Creative-Industry EAP is Different
At Hey Mate, we’ve built an EAP specifically for artists, arts workers, and creative organisations. Our services are built from the ground up with performing arts in mind:
Practitioners with industry experience: Our mental health professionals understand the dynamics of rehearsals, auditions, creative blocks, and the emotional toll of performance.
Peer-to-peer and trauma-informed models: Because healing happens best when people feel seen and understood.
Crisis and touring support: From backstage to opening night, our support travels with you.
Workshops and wellbeing planning: Focused on burnout prevention, psychological safety, and sustainable creative careers.
We currently support organisations such as Queensland Ballet, QMusic, Carclew, and regional arts bodies — providing care that meets creatives where they are.
How to Bring a Performing Arts EAP to Your Organisation
Whether you manage a performing arts company, festival, dance school, or production team, a tailored EAP is not a luxury — it’s a crucial part of supporting your people.
Here’s how to get started:
Reach out to our team at hello@heymateproject.org
We’ll provide tailored EAP options to suit your team size, needs, and budget.
You’ll receive access to a dedicated network of creative-informed wellbeing support.
Learn more at www.theheymateproject.com
Keywords: performing arts EAP, employee assistance program for creatives, mental health in the arts, creative industries support, wellbeing for performers, artist mental health program
