Kickstart meaningful conversations about mental health at work and build practical skills to support yourself and others.
REWIRE is a live, 90-minute workshop delivered in person or online, designed specifically for people working across Australia’s creative industries.
It builds a clear, shared understanding of mental health and psychological distress, helps participants recognise risk factors, and introduces practical self-care and support strategies to reduce risk and strengthen support.
The session also outlines relevant Support Act services so participants know where to turn if and when they need help.
Why REWIRE?
Creative work is meaningful. It can also be intense, insecure and emotionally demanding.
Support Act’s 2024 national survey, Mental Health and Wellbeing in Music and Creative Industries, (Swinburne University, 2024, authored by Aurora Almes, Emma Riseley) found that:
- 53.5% of people working in music and creative industries report high or very high psychological distress
- Rates of distress are more than three times higher than the general population
- Burnout, financial stress, job insecurity and unsafe workplace cultures are significant contributing factors
Many workers describe feeling exhausted, anxious, overwhelmed or disconnected. For some, distress escalates into serious mental health challenges.
REWIRE acknowledges the unique psychosocial pressures of creative work and offers practical tools to respond early, before issues compound.
What the session covers
Each REWIRE workshop is tailored to a specific creative industry.
That means a session for music workers explores the realities of touring, performance pressure and gig-to-gig survival. A screen industry session speaks directly to production cycles and set environments. Visual arts, performing arts and other creative sectors are shaped around their distinct pressures.
In 90 minutes, we cover:
- The current mental health landscape in your industry, grounded in current data
- The key psychosocial pressure points shaping creative work
- Practical self-care strategies that fit the reality of the job
- How to recognise early signs of distress in yourself and others
- How to start supportive conversations
- Where to access relevant, industry-specific support
Participants leave with clearer language, stronger confidence and concrete next steps.
Who is it for?
REWIRE is designed for creative industry workers at all levels, including:
- Artists and performers
- Crew and production teams
- Managers and leaders
- Administrative and organisational staff
- Freelancers and sole traders
The session can be delivered as:
- Public access workshops
- Tailored in-house sessions for organisations
- Staff or manager-specific adaptations
How it works
Duration: 90 minutes
Format: Online or in person
Delivery: Interactive, industry-specific and practical
Public sessions are listed in our events calendar.
Organisations can contact us to tailor a session for their team.
Clinically speaking...
 These are group education sessions for music and creative industry workers who are experiencing, or are at heightened risk of, psychological distress. The sessions identify industry-specific psychosocial hazards that contribute to anxiety, depression, burnout and suicidal ideation, and equip participants to recognise early warning signs in themselves and others.Â
Participants are directly connected to Support Act services, including Crisis Relief Grants and the Wellbeing Helpline, to facilitate early intervention and alleviate distress before it escalates into more severe mental ill health.
The serious stuff
Support Act is a registered Public Benevolent Institution (PBI).
This means our primary purpose is to relieve distress, hardship and suffering, and to support people who are experiencing, or are at risk of, significant vulnerability.
Our PBI status reflects our commitment to delivering programs that provide genuine public benefit, are responsibly governed, and remain focused on supporting those who need help most across the music and creative industries.
Our programs are proudly supported by Creative Workplaces
