Australia’s Performing Arts Technical Workforce: A Roadmap for Change
VAPAC has been working closely with our Industry Development Taskforce to address the technical workforce shortages. Last year, with the Performing Arts Presenters Association (PAPA) network, we convened a two day meeting to address critical sector issues.
The Performing Arts Presenters Association (PAPA) network, recognise that Australia’s performing arts technical workforce is experiencing a national crisis. This has been building across the entire pipeline from recruitment and training through to retention, but it is now manifesting most acutely in day-to-day workplace conditions and safety, as the ambition and expectations of the sector outstrip capacity.
While the primary focus of the work by the PAPA network is often government-owned venues, the issues that need to be addressed both influence and are influenced by touring practices, production timelines, technical feasibility and safety responsibilities that sit across organisational boundaries. This is a shared responsibility and vital that we embed a culture of collective accountability between venues, producers, presenters and funders.
The work ahead is substantial, but the roadmap PAPA have formulated is clear. It reflects both the urgency of the challenge and the opportunity to build a safer, more sustainable future for Australia’s performing arts technical workforce.
The issues we’re collectively working to address include:
- Sector resilience at its limits
- An eroding safety margin
- A fragile workforce pipeline
- Artistic and programming ambition outpacing available capacity
- Unsustainable presentation and touring models
The outcome of that meeting is a national roadmap for reform and an Insights Report prepared by facilitator Penny Miles, available to download below.
This work belongs to all of us. VAPAC will continue to play an active role in driving it forward.
A joint statement from the PAPA network:
“The Performing Arts Presenters Associations (PAPA) network recognise that Australia’s performing arts technical workforce is experiencing a national crisis. This has been building across the entire pipeline from recruitment and training through to retention, but it is now manifesting most acutely in day-to-day workplace conditions and safety, as the ambition and expectations of the sector outstrip capacity.
While the primary focus of the work by the PAPA network is often government-owned venues, the issues that need to be addressed both influence and are influenced by touring practices, production timelines, technical feasibility and safety responsibilities that sit across organisational boundaries. This is a shared responsibility and it is vital that we embed a culture of collective accountability between venues, producers, presenters and funders.
The work ahead is substantial but the roadmap PAPA have formulated is clear. It reflects both the urgency of the challenge and the opportunity to build a safer, more sustainable future for Australia’s performing arts technical workforce.”
