Artist Resources
This ACTober, explore Mental Health First Aid Training
Around 1 in 5 Australian adults experience a common mental illness each year - and the numbers are even higher in the performing arts industry. This ACTober, we encourage you to enrol in a Mental Health First Aid course, so that more of us can talk about mental health and help someone in need.
Our friends at The Hey Mate Project have created a special ACTober discount on their courses for our supporters.
Simply use the code ACTOBER to save $60 off an Online Mental Health First Aid course on 10 or 17 October.
Our partner charities
The following five funds or charities are members of the Alliance of Australasian Performing Arts Benevolent Funds.
Actors Benevolent Fund of New South Wales
For entertainment professionals who live in NSW or ACT.
Actors’ & Entertainers’ Benevolent Fund of Queensland
For entertainment professionals who live in Queensland.
Victorian Actors’ Benevolent Trust
For entertainment professionals who live in Victoria or Tasmania.
Performers Support Fund of South Australia
For entertainment professionals who live in South Australia or the Northern Territory.
New Zealand Actors Benevolent Fund
For entertainment professionals who live in New Zealand.
Your union
Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance
The largest and most established union and industry advocate for Australia's entertainment professionals.
Crisis support lines
If you need emergency assistance, please dial 000 for police, ambulance or fire services.
The helplines below provide support and counselling 24 hours a day, 7 days a week unless specificed otherwise. Some also provide online assistance.
1800 737 732
24/7 phone and online counselling for people seeking help for domestic violence situations.
1300 224 636
Information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health.
1800 55 1800
Australia’s only free (even from a mobile), confidential 24/7 online and phone counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. Here for children and young people, anytime and for any reason. No issue is too big or too small.
13 11 14 (call) | 0477 131 114 (text)
A crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians.
Mental Health Emergency Response Line
1300 555 788 (Metro) | 1800 676 822 (Peel)
For anyone involved in a mental health emergency in the community, including individuals, families/carers, member of the general public or health professionals.
1800 552 002 (4.30pm – 8:30am Monday to Friday and 24 hours Saturday, Sunday and public holidays)
An after-hours telephone service for people in rural and regional Western Australia experiencing a mental health crisis.
1300 659 467
A free service for people who are suicidal, caring for someone who is suicidal, bereaved by suicide, or who are health professionals supporting people affected by suicide.
Other support lines
If you need emergency assistance, please dial 000 for police, ambulance or fire services.
The helplines below provide support and counselling 24 hours a day, 7 days a week unless specificed otherwise. Some also provide online assistance.
Support Act Wellbeing Helpline
1800 959 500
The Support Act Wellbeing Helpline is a free, confidential counselling service that is available to anyone working in music or the performing arts who needs to talk to someone about any aspect of their wellbeing.
Support Act First Nations Support Line
1800 861 085
A free and confidential service specifically catered to First Nations music and arts workers who are concerned about any aspect of their mental health and wellbeing.
Support Act Manager Support Hotline
1800 818 728
Provides managers with the opportunity to speak confidentially to a senior counsellor from the Wellbeing Helpline.
ADLS (Alcohol & Drug Support Line)
(08) 9442 5000 (metro callers) | 1800 198 024 (country callers)
ADSL is a confidential, non-judgmental telephone counselling, information and referral service for anyone seeking help for their own or another person's alcohol or drug use.
1800 655 566
Advocare supports and protects the rights of older people in Western Australia through advocacy, information and education. Its services are free, confidential and directed by you to help you understand your rights and achieve a better outcome in your situation. Contact today for a chat and to learn how one of our experienced adcocates can help you.
If you, or someone you know, may be experiencing elder abuse of any form, please call our free and confidential WA Elder Abuse Helpline on 1300 724 679 (Mon to Fri, 8.30am to 4.30pm).
Butterfly: LET'S TALK eating disorders
1800 33 4673
Support for eating disorders and body image issues. You can call their National Helpline (above), chat online or email.
1300 789 978
A telephone and online counselling service for men with emotional health and relationship concerns.
1300 364 277
First Nations Mob Peer Support. Do you feel like having some space to talk about something on your mind? This is what Moorditj Yarning offers – a place and opportunity where you feel comfortable.
Open Arms – Veterans and Families Counselling
1800 011 046
Free and confidential counselling to anyone who has served at least one day in the ADF, and their families.
PANDA - Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia
1300 726 306 (Mon to Fri, 9am - 7.30pm AEST/AEDT)
PANDA supports women, men and families across Australia affected by anxiety and depression during pregnancy and in the first year of parenthood. PANDA operates Australia’s only National Helpline for individuals and their families to recover from perinatal anxiety and depression, a serious illness that affects up to one in five expecting or new mums and one in ten expecting or new dads.
1800 184 527 (3pm - midnight, every day)
Provides a nation-wide, early intervention, peer supported phone and web based service to diverse people of all ages experiencing poor mental health, psychological distress, social isolation, discrimination, experiences of being misgendered and/or other social determinants that impact on health and well-being.
1300 724 679 (Mon to Fri, 8.30am to 4.30pm WST)
Mental health resources
Your local GP to access a Mental Health Plan
Anxiety & Depression Checklist
This simple checklist asks you to reflect on your feelings over the past four weeks.
Together, these ten questions measure how distressed you’ve been recently, by signs of depression and anxiety.
It is a measure of distress commonly used by Australian GPs and mental health professionals to determine what level of support you may require.
After completing this checklist, you can print your score for your records or to give to your GP.
Australian Psychological Society
Search over 8,000 private practice psychologists Australia wide.
Online text-based counselling for people concerned about their own drinking or drug use. The service is equally available to people concerned about a family member, relative or friend.
Embrace Multicultural Mental Health
Embrace Multicultural Mental Health (the Embrace Project) is run by Mental Health Australia and provides a national focus on mental health and suicide prevention for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.
A list of GPs, psychiatrists and psychologists who have self-identified as having a special interest in or affiliation with the arts and/or artists.
Works with young people to provide support at a crucial time in their lives – to help get them back on track and strengthen their ability to manage their mental health in the future.
If you’re trying to improve your own mental health, or support somebody else with mental health issues, Head to Health provides links to trusted online and phone supports, resources and treatment options.
myCompass (Black Dog Institute)
A personalised self-help tool for your mental health.
Leading online mental health organisation for young people and their parents. Provides practical support, tools and tips to help young people get through anything from everyday issues to tough times.
Learn practical tools to take care of your mental health. Offers a range of self-paced online courses that teach clinically-proven strategies to help you improve the way you feel.
Information, support and services for LGBTI Australians.
Financial health resources
Free calculators, tips and guidance.
A list of free services. If you feel overwhelmed by debt, contact a financial counsellor as soon as possible.
1800 007 007
Whatever your financial difficulty, whether it’s the mortgage, the credit card, the gas bill or something else, we have the answers.
You can also live-chat with a counsellor on their website.
1800 808 488
A free nationwide legal advice and financial counselling service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, covering things like Money Problems, Debt or Insurance & Super.
Hardship Utlity Grant Scheme (WA Government)
The Hardship Utility Grant Scheme (HUGS) assists WA utility customers who are in financial hardship and are unable to pay their utility bills. The purpose of HUGS is to assist customers in financial hardship with their connection to essential services.
Financial wellbeing in times of uncertainty
A resource from the Arts Wellbeing Collective.
Support for film industry practitioners
Motion Picture Industry Benevolent Society
Current or retired film industry practitioners can apply for financial assistance by contacting the Society's chairman of investigation and relief, Tom Jeffrey, on 0404 260 274.
Please note Artist Relief Fund WA can and does support WA film industry practitioners.
Support for musicians and music workers
Support Act
For musicians, managers, crew or music workers in crisis
Support Act is the music industry’s charity, delivering crisis relief services to musicians, managers, crew and music workers across all genres who are unable to work due to ill health, injury, a mental health problem or some other crisis, such as COVID-19.
You can get help by applying for financial support if you are a musician, manager, crew or music worker in crisis. We will also contribute to the cost of a funeral.
Crew Care
An organisation of experienced men and women in the live music entertainment industry wanting to improve the care for all workers in the production and allied industries.
Support for visual artists
Artists' Benevolent Fund (for visual artists)
NAVA and Art Month Sydney have reinvigorated the Artists’ Benevolent Fund to make funds available for disaster and emergency visual arts practice recovery at this difficult time.
Support for writers
Writers Benevolent Fund (for writers)
The Artist Relief Fund can support Western Australians who write professionally for the stage or screen. For other writers, including authors, we suggest applying to the Writers Benevolent Fund.
Social and wage support
JobSeeker payment (Services Australia)
Other payments (Services Australia) including COVID-19 Disaster Payments, Pandemic Leave Disaster Payments and Crisis Payments (the eligibility for these payments is quite restricted)
Community and legal
88 services across 55 locations supporting more than 41,000 Western Australians in need.
Arts Law Centre (artists only)
Provides free or low cost specialised legal advice, education and resources to artists and arts organisations across all art forms.
Community Legal Centres (artists & arts workers)
Community legal centres provide free legal help to hundreds of thousands of people every year.
ER Connect – “I’m Looking For Assistance”
A free directory for people looking for food relief or emergency accommodation, among other services. Click “I’m Looking For Assistance” to search for services in your local area.
1300 650 579 (Monday - Friday, 9am - 4pm)
Legal Aid Western Australia promotes access to legal services and information for all West Australians.
(08) 9336 8282
13 14 50 (via TIS Interpreter Service)
Diverse culture and language support. Forging a thriving multicultural society by helping migrants and refugees build meaningful lives.
Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National)
13 14 50 (TIS Interpreter Service)
Access to phone and on-site interpreting services in over 150 languages.
A hub by GetUp! for the community care groups springing up across the country to support people in need or self-isolation during this crisis.
Sleep, mindfulness and wellbeing
Sleep
Sleep Health Foundation – Good Sleep Habits
Many people have trouble with their sleep. If you are one of them, some of these simple things may help.
Sleep Health Foundation – Other fact sheets
A collecion of fact sheets about sleep related topics.
Sleep Well (from the Arts Wellbeing Collective)
The performing arts industry can present unique challenges for healthy sleep. Unusual work hours, workload pressures, touring, needing to be awake or asleep at varied times, working or attending functions at night, jet lag, and difficulty winding down are just some of the factors that can impact our ability to get the restorative sleep we need to function at our best.
This resource examines sleep strategies and techniques for addressing common sleep difficulties.
THIS WAY UP – Managing Insomnia Course
Learn effective, step-by-step strategies for managing chronic sleep difficulties with a practical and free online course for insomnia.
Mindfulness
Act-Belong-Commit Mindful Colouring
Colouring can be an enjoyable alternative to meditation or mindfulness, and can be used as a way to reduce feelings of anxiety.
Free resources on meditation and mindfulness.
Extend Breath (a guided meditation)
Meditation & mindfulness can bring you into the present moment, reduce stress and help with anxiety. This guided meditation may help calm you and allow you to feel present.
Mindfulness app (paid content, some free).
Mindfulness website and free app.
Wellbeing
Act-Belong-Commit Guide to Keeping Mentally Healthy
This Guide is designed for a broad audience of people, including people who are already mentally healthy, but simply want to learn more about keeping that way; people who feel ‘just ok’ or a ‘bit down’ and want to enjoy life more or find more meaning and purpose in life; and people who have – or have had – a mental illness or mental health problem and who are looking for positive ways to build their mental health in addition to any medication, counselling or treatment they might be receiving.
COVID-19 information
National Coronavirus Information Line — ph 1800 020 080