UK Music has followed its work on an extensive diversity survey by backing a major study into the work-life balance in the music business.
The organisation is supporting a research project by Parents In Performing Arts and Birkbeck University. The Balancing Act: Work/Life Survey seeks contributions from the whole Music Industry workforce – on and off the stage – to reveal the biggest challenges to parenting and working in the sector, as well as identifying the most effective strategies for change.
Last year’s UK Music survey revealed that the proportion of music industry workers who were female dropped to under a third in the 45-64 age bracket, compared to 54.5% of the workforce in the 25-34 age range. The new study, which also covers dance and theatre, will look more closely at how much parenting affects women’s employment chances.
Funded by Help Musicians UK and the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA), the survey is also backed by the Featured Artists Coalition, Musicians Union, UK Music and other leading performing arts organisations.
“We at Help Musicians UK are proud to support PiPA in this vital new research study,” said Claire Gevaux, creative director, HMUK. “The charity is committed to campaigning and advocating for the issues that are important to our community within the music sector. Armed with key insights and evidence, HMUK will be able to highlight the areas that the parents and carers within the music industry need the most support and investment in.”
"The Music industry is full of creative talent - surely it can't be beyond our wit to support that talent when they become parents? Parents In Performing Arts’ new research is a welcome step towards solving some of the problems posed by the original gig economy for those with caring responsibilities," said Olga Fitzroy, music producer/mixer and founder of the MPG-backed Parental Pay Equality.
PIPA is aiming to hear from at least 3,000 people, both parents and non-parents, for the research in order to get the most accurate representation of the sector. The findings will be unveiled at an event at the House Of Commons in October.
The survey can be found here: Balancing Act: Work/Life Survey
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