Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps with the music industry to ensure performing artists have access to adequate mental health support.

This government recognises the importance of ensuring that everyone has access to support and resources for their mental health and wellbeing, including creative professionals such as musicians and performers.

This government welcomes efforts by the music industry to support artists, such as the Musicians' Union's Wellbeing Support Service and Help Musicians' Music Minds Matter helpline. We would encourage more organisations across the sector to follow suit in order to foster an environment where mental health is prioritised, and artists are empowered to thrive both personally and professionally.

We are working closely with industry stakeholders as they seek to address the recommendations of the Good Work Review, a sectoral deep dive funded by DCMS into job quality and working practice. This sets out a number of priorities to improve job quality in the sector, including developing dedicated support and guidance for self-employed creators.

The arts and creative industries are also crucial to supporting peoples' health and wellbeing. As part of the Government's ‘an NHS fit for the future’ Mission, we will review the evidence and recommendations from stakeholders, including the National Centre for Creative Health. The Creative Industries Council has also established a Health and Wellbeing Forum, whose outputs we will consider.

Additionally, the Arts Council England invests £145 million annually in National Portfolio Organisations to deliver projects including creative health, and in 2022 they published a Creative Health and Wellbeing Strategy to integrate health and wellbeing into the arts sector's core outcomes.