Being a parent in the performing arts can present all kinds of unique challenges. And knowing where support might be for those challenges is in itself difficult.
PiPA have compiled supports available for parents working in the performing arts.
Some of these are PiPA specific resources and some are from partners or other industry specialists. We invite you to explore this list and see where you can get the support you need.
PiPA is always working to make the performing arts more caring, creative and courageous by making sure parents and carers are a part of it. You can find a full list of our Charter Partners here. These are organisations who are committed to creating family friendly culture change in the performing arts.
If you need any further guidance or help, please contact cassie@pipacampaign.com.
PiPA Resources:
Working from Home with Children
Conversations About Caring for Freelance Creatives
5 Top Tips for Freelancers: Talking About Your Role As a Carer
PiPA is currently working on a hub for parents and carers working in the performing arts. This is a place parents and carers can go to get support, resources and connect with a network of parents and carers across the UK. We are excited about being able to launch this and can’t wait to tell you about it! But first, we need to test it! If you would like to be part of the testing for this project, please sign up here.
External Support
We have tried to organise this list so that you can find support quickly, depending on your needs. Because of that, you might find that this lists repeats organisations. If you would like to add your organisation to this list please email paige@pipacampaign.com.
Mental and Physical Health
Actors’ Children’s Trust: Offers financial, practical and emotional support to actor parents.
Acting for Others: provides financial and emotional support to all theatre workers in times of need through the 14 member charities.
Artsmind: provides mental health support to arts industry professionals.
BAPAM: free specialist medical care and health resources for professionals and students in the performing arts
BackUp Tech: The UK’s registered technical entertainment charity that provides financial & wellbeing support to technical industry professionals.
BECTU: union for staff, contract and freelancer workers in the media and entertainment industries.
Equity: the union for actors, singers, dancers, designers, directors, stage managers, puppeteers, comedians, voice artists, and variety performers.
Equity Charitable Trust: UK-based charity that provides financial, wellbeing, training and practical support to professional performers, especially those in the theatre industry
The Film and TV Charity: financial, wellbeing and advisory support for people working in film and TV in the UK.
Help Musicians: An independent UK charity supporting professional musicians of all genres.
Music Minds Matter: the mental health support part of Help Musicians
Independent Society of Musicians Members Fund: The UK’s professional body for musicians. Offers legal support, professional development support, expert advice and more.
Musicians Union: union for musicians, working to protect our members’ rights and campaign for a fairer music industry.
Music Support – For people who are experiencing mental health or addiction challenges who work in music.
Stage Management Association: The trade association for stage managers, providing advocacy and support.
Tonic Music Rider: Support groups and workshops for musicians and people working in music to support their mental health.
The Theatrical Guild: provides financial, practical and emotional support for backstage and front of house workers.
The Royal Theatrical Fund: Support for people of all ages who have worked in the entertainment industry and are in need as a result of illness, accident or old age.
PRS Members Fund: PRS members can access benefits such in the areas of health, well-being, housing and finance.
UK Theatre: the UK’s leading theatre and performing arts membership organisation. They support organisations and individuals in the performing arts througb training, resources, events and other professional services.
Family Resources
Carers UK: offering support and advice to carers across the UK.
Family Arts Campaign: Directory of family-friendly arts organisations and venues across the UK
Working Families: they have a free helpline through which they can offer free advice about employment rights and in-work benefits for parents, carers and their advisers.
Gingerbread: offers free advice and practical support for single parents.
Pregnant then Screwed: Support for women who have faced maternity or pregnancy discrimination, including free legal advice and a mentorship scheme.
Mencap: support and advice for individuals with learning disabilities and their parents and/or carers.
Raising Films: Supports parents and carers in the UK screen industries (film, TV, animation, etc.) with advocacy, research, and practical resources.
Scope: provides practical and emotional support for disabled individuals and their parents and/or carers.
Cinemamas: Jobs board and support network for parents working in TV and media, promoting flexible and family-friendly work.
Equity Maternity parental and childcare rights guide 2022 – 2023
Career Advice and Support
Artsadmin: Offering a unique and free one-to-one advice service to UK-based artists working in contemporary performance, at any stage of their career.
ABTT: provide guidance and training for technical theatre professionals, as well as a helpline.
BECTU: provide advice on working conditions, employee rights and apprenticeships for those working in media and entertainment.
Dance Mama: An advocacy and support organisation dedicated to helping parents who work in the dance sector.
Equity: provide advice on your rights at work as an actor, singers, dancer, designer, director, stage manager, puppeteer, comedian, voice artist, and variety performer.
Equity Charitable Trust: provide advice on training and supporting your career in the theatre industry
Independent Society of Musicians: The UK’s professional body for musicians. Offers legal support, professional development support, expert advice and more.
One Dance UK: The national support organisation for dance in the UK.
Stage Directors UK: provide advice, training, and support for stage directors across the UK.
Financial Support
Actors and Stage Professionals
The Actors Children’s Trust – Offers financial, practical and emotional support to actor parents. Grants are offered to cover a range of costs, including childcare, school fees, school uniforms and SEND support.
The Actors Benevolent Fund – supports actors and stage managers who are in need of help due to to illness, injury, or old age. Support can be in the form of weekly payments, small grants and larger one-off payments.
Equity Benevolent Fund – Can support Equity Members with subscription fees.
Equity Charitable Trust – provides educational grants for retraining, and welfare grants to those experiencing hardship.
The Ralph and Meriel Richardson Foundation: a charitable foundation where actors can apply for grants and financial support in times of hardship.
Royal Variety Charity: The charity supporting people who’ve worked professionally in the entertainment industry. Applicants must have worked professionally in the entertainment industry, but thereafter the charity’s help is wide-reaching for UK citizens
Musicians
Musicians Union – Unpaid Fee Recovery Service
Help Musicians – One off grants for support in a crisis.
Independent Society of Musicians – Funding for undergraduate and postgraduate students, covering costs associated with course fees, buying instruments, studying abroad and more.
PRS Foundation: Funding for creative work in the music industry.
PRS Members’ Fund: Supporting musicians and song writers in times of crisis.
Dancers
Dance Professionals Fund – provides one off grants to dancers to support living costs, medical costs, retraining costs and crisis costs.
Dancers Career Development – provides transitioning support and grants for dancers.
Equity Benevolent Fund – Can support Equity Members with subscription fees.
Equity Charitable Trust – provides educational grants for retraining, and welfare grants to those experiencing hardship.
Off Stage Crew
Equity Benevolent Fund – Can support Equity Members with subscription fees.
Equity Charitable Trust – provides educational grants for retraining, and welfare grants to those experiencing hardship.
The Actors Benevolent Fund – supports actors and stage managers who are in need of help due to to illness, injury, or old age. Support can be in the form of weekly payments, small grants and larger one-off payments.
The Theatrical Guild – offers grants to backstage and front of house workers. These can be in the form of long term or short term financial help, and contributions otwards the costs of studying.
Stage Hand: Offer help and support to live event production workers based in the UK or predominantly working out of the UK who cannot work for a period of time due to serious physical or mental illness or injury.
Directors
Stage Directors UK– Offers advice, training, and support for stage directors across the UK.
Directors Charitable Foundation – Their Directors Support Scheme offers emergency help to Directors and dependants of deceased directors in acute need.
Variety Acts
Equity Charitable Trust – provides educational grants for retraining, and welfare grants to those experiencing hardship.
Other Support Options
Theatre Support Info – Theatre Support is a centralised hub of information for anyone working in the theatre industry about how and where you can access sector-specific help and services.
Music Support – For people who are experiencing mental health or addiction challenges who work in music.
MIND – Signposting service to organisations providing mental health crisis support
We always want to hear about supports for parents and carers in the performing arts. If you have a support or programme that could help parents and carers or performing arts professionals please let us know.
