64021

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).

Related Articles

28th October 2022 - Launch announced for Event Safety Institute Australia

26th October 2022 - Venues and entertainment ‘disruptor’ looks to build and operate planned Brisbane Live arena

22nd October 2022 - Victoria’s live music sector receives $11 million in funding

19th October 2022 - Applications now open for round five of Live Music Australia program

4th October 2022 - Accessibility and safety works to progress on Ballarat’s Her Majesty’s Theatre

30th September 2022 - Australian event associations collaborate to deliver Emerging Leaders program

25th August 2022 - Pollstar rankings show resurgence of Australian live entertainment in first half of 2022

22nd August 2022 - South Australian Government reveals $10 million fund to back live music and festivals

5th August 2022 - On The Road Again initiative supports live music and development opportunities at Altona Theatre

18th July 2022 - Square Metre Group to deliver skills development program for its Crowd Safety Management

9th June 2022 - Industry feedback sees Australian Festival Industry Conference add workforce skills and labour shortages discussion to program

31st May 2022 - Leading promoters fearful of rising cost pressures on live music

24th May 2022 - LPA looks forward to productive partnership with incoming Federal Government

30th March 2022 - Live Performance Australia says Federal Budget falls short in helping the arts and entertainment industry to rebuild

25th March 2022 - Queensland’s live music sector recovery supported with latest round of funding

15th March 2022 - Live music industry set to experience significant growth in the Asia-Pacific region

22nd December 2021 - Omicron variant sees Coronavirus again impacting live performance

15th November 2021 - Live Performance Australia calls for NSW Government to replicate Victoria’s backing for live entertainment

21st October 2021 - LPA calls for insurance and wage support in wake of industry revenue loss of $1.4 billion

25th March 2021 - Live performance and entertainment bodies welcome Federal Government’s funding extension

23rd March 2021 - Entertainment and Live Performance sector representatives takes argument for industry support to Canberra

19th March 2021 - Live Performance Australia calls for 100% capacity in all live entertainment venues

22nd February 2021 - Live Performance Australia calls for targeted JobSaver action to prevent further collapse of the arts and entertainment industry

18th November 2020 - Live Performance Australia releases updated Ticketing Code of Practice

10th August 2020 - Live Performance Australia releases comprehensive COVIDSafe guidelines

7th August 2020 - Live Performance Australia commends Western Australian Government for shared risk funding

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

Click here to view our subscription options.