Live Performance Australia calls for national skills and careers pathway for live arts and entertainment industry

Live Performance Australia (LPA) has today called for a national skills and careers pathway framework for the live arts and entertainment industry to support its rebuild after the impact of the pandemic and to ensure future growth.

LPA has also called for urgent support to address immediate and critical skills shortages which are impacting the industry now, particularly in technical and production related roles.

This includes support for accredited training or short courses, industry-led skills development initiatives, traineeships and international mutual recognition for occupations in critical short supply, as well as support for employee assistance programs to promote safe workplaces and better mental health outcomes. LPA has also recommended a national First Nations Arts Skills and Workforce Plan to enable greater First Nations participation in the industry.

Investment in skills and training, including industry-led initiatives, will be critical to realising the objectives for the Federal Government’s soon to be released National Cultural Policy.

Stating that the live arts and entertainment industry is a vast and dynamic ecosystem of small, medium and large businesses and sole operators, and tens of thousands of performers, artists, creatives and technical crew, LPA Chief Executive, Evelyn Richardson explained “there is a huge range of skills and occupations required to present a theatre show or support a concert tour or music festival, and shortages or disruption in just one part of the skills supply chain can have a compounding effect across the entire industry.

“COVID-19 had a devastating effect on the industry and its workforce which was the first to be shut down by public health restrictions and one of the last to reopen. Skills and industry capabilities that had been developed over years were lost overnight.

“We are back on stages across the country, but with a substantially smaller workforce. Fewer people are working longer and harder to bring Australians the live performances they love. And we are still dealing with daily disruption of COVID which is impacting performers, artists and crews.

“Our industry is working hard to marshal its resources and look after its people, but the reality is we will need a strong commitment from Australian governments to establish the skills and training framework to underpin a sustainable and successful live arts and entertainment industry into the future.”

LPA’s key recommendations are contained in its submission to the Employment White Paper consultation being run by Treasury.

Click here to view LPA’s full submission.

Images: Sydney Recital Hall (top) and LPA Chief Executive Evelyn Richardson (below).