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Newsletter

PiPA Monthly Opportunities and Support May 2026

Each month Parents and Carers in Performing Arts shares free support and opportunities for our community of parents and carers.

We highlight financial support, wellbeing resources, and career support that might make life a little easier. If you have a resource you’d like listed, please email paige@pipacampaign.com with a link, the dates it is available and the subject line NEWSLETTER.

You’ll find information about each opportunity on the hyperlink.
The PiPA team have done our best to source these links, but we are not responsible for them. Please contact the owner of the opportunity for more information.

Please note: some of these resources, while available to and useful to parents and carers, may not be specifically designed for parents and carers. 

Image – PiPA Partner Mind The Gap (Elly Wel Photography 2024, JoAnne Haines – Dancing With Colours)
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At PiPA, we know that life as a parent or carer in the performing arts can be hectic. That’s why we compile resources from across the industry each month for you – we’re trying to take care of some of your mental load.
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Financial Support

Cross Sector

  • Developing Your Creative Practice (DYCP) is a funding programme by Arts Council England that supports you as an individual creative and cultural practitioner to focus on your career development. Access support requests open midday, Thursday 14 May 2026. Open for applications midday, Thursday 4 June 2026. Info here.

 

Music

  • Step Up provides financial support for ten artists’ projects each year, with grants of up to £8,000 alongside a wider package of industry support. See more here.
  • The Open Fund for Music Creators supports the development of outstanding music creators of all genres and backgrounds at different stages of their career with grants of up to £5000. See more here.
  • PPL Momentum Music Fund Closes 11th May, next round opens 11th July. The Fund offers grants of £5k-£15k for UK based artists/bands to break through to the next level of their careers
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Childcare & Parenting Support

Cross Sector

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Wellbeing & Mental Health

Cross Sector

  • Ongoing – BAPAM free clinical support for performing arts professionals who have an injury or illness that is impacting their ability to work or study – here

Music

  • 19th May – Join the Musicians’ Union and BAPAM for a one-hour online session with Dramatherapist Heather Turkington, exploring stress and burnout, their signs and causes, practical coping strategies, and when and where to seek support, free for MU members in Scotland and Northern Ireland – here
  • 27th May – Webinar on Self-esteem, Self-doubt and Imposter Syndrome – here
  • InTune by PRS Members’ Fund and BAPAM – Digital health and wellbeing tool for musical creators – here
  • PRS Members’ Fund has launched Reset & Rewind which offers a limited number of PRS members the opportunity to step back and reset with a short UK-based break of up to five days, following periods of illness, stress or anxiety – here

Acting, Theatre, Stage Management

  • Actors’ Trust have launched a mental health support service for actors and stage management professionals can access up to six fully subsidised counselling sessions if they are experiencing mental health challenges – here
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Career & Industry Support

Cross Sector

  • Unlimited are currently offering: Anti-Exploitation Academy. This is a free, self-paced online course for individuals to understand how systemic inequality shows up in their working life and supports them build the knowledge and confidence to advocate for fair treatment and for yourself – here

Backstage

  • 8th May – ABTT will be holding their major annual forum at the Sherman Theatre Cardiff and online, in conjunction with the Craidd Partnership. Entitled ‘Behind the Curtain’ this all day forum is for anyone interested in learning and discussing more about making inclusive and accessible theatre – here

Dance

  • 12th May -How to create more artist friendly auditions? Dance Professionals Fund explore how dance companies can create more artist-friendly processes from beginning to end – here
  • One Dance UK are offering a free safeguarding course  with sector specialists to deliver the latest guidance and industry thinking on safeguarding. The course is being offered for free by High-Speed training to dance, sports and physical activity clubs across the UK – here
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Community & Peer Support

Cross Sector

  • The Motherhood Letters are part of Clore Leadership’s Motherhood Series, sharing open and honest reflections from cultural leaders navigating motherhood and leadership. Creating space for connection, understanding, and conversation across the sector. Here
  • Artists, freelancers and organisations in the arts and culture sector are invited to join the Disability Arts Online (DAO) Directories. Closes 31st May 2026.
    The Artists Directory is for artists and creatives who identify as disabled, D/deaf and/or neurodivergent, and/or are living with a long term health condition.
    The Freelancers Directory is for anyone who is:a freelance arts worker available for hire on disabled creatives’ projects (e.g. producer, fundraiser, communications consultant, designer, photographer). a freelance access provider (e.g. support worker, interpreter, captioner, audio describer). Here
Two people stand on stage at a production in the Liverpool Everyman Theatre. One is holding a long list and the other is trying to grab it.

FREE Toolkit for Parents and Carers Working in the Performing Arts

Managing The Juggle is a FREE toolkit created to help parents and carers manage their caring responsibilities with the demands of a career in the performing arts. Get it to your inbox today.

Image courtesy of PiPA Partner Liverpool Everyman Theatre (Tell Me How It Ends – Emmy Stonelake as Aster & Luke Sookdeo as Marc © Andrew AB Photography)