Surviving to Thriving: Supporting Mental Health in the Regional Arts & Gallery Sector
At Hey Mate, we believe that thriving creative communities start with mentally healthy workplaces. That’s why we were thrilled to present at the 2025 RPG Conference: Creative Wellbeing, sharing tools and insights around mental health, psychosocial safety, and boundaries in the arts, galleries, and museums sector — with a strong focus on the regional arts workforce.
Hosted in a packed-out session, our presentation, “Surviving to Thriving: Mental Health in the Arts”, explored the very real challenges faced by creative professionals working across regional and rural Australia. From burnout and blurred boundaries to organisational culture and psychosocial hazards, we unpacked what it takes to create systems of care and safety within creative workplaces.
💡 Why Regional Creative Wellbeing Matters
The regional arts sector plays a vital role in shaping Australia’s cultural identity. But too often, artists, curators, producers, and administrators in regional contexts face additional stressors — isolation, under-resourcing, and a lack of access to mental health support. These compounding pressures can result in burnout, anxiety, and long-term disengagement from the sector.
At Hey Mate, we work with arts organisations, peak bodies, local councils, and festivals to help embed workplace wellbeing strategies, support mental health, and upskill staff in navigating complex psychosocial environments.
🧠 What We Covered at the RPG Conference
During the conference, our session focused on:
The importance of psychosocial risk awareness and compliance with Safe Work guidelines
How to build healthy workplace cultures in creative and cultural organisations
Setting and communicating boundaries in project-based and freelance work
Recognising signs of burnout, stress, and mental fatigue
Embedding wellbeing supports into programming, staffing models, and operations
We also shared real-world examples of how regional organisations have worked with Hey Mate to embed sustainable wellbeing practices that go beyond tick-box approaches.
✅ How Hey Mate Can Support You
Are you an arts organisation, gallery, museum or local council looking to improve mental health and wellbeing in your team or community?
We offer:
Workplace Wellbeing Consults & Training
Mental Health First Aid (in-person & online)
Psychosocial Risk Mitigation Workshops
Peer Support Program Design
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) for the creative industries
We work nationally — and proudly support organisations in regional and remote communities, where access can often be limited.
📩 Let’s Work Together
If you’re ready to build a mentally healthier arts workforce, we’d love to collaborate.
🔗 Reach out to us at hello@theheymateproject.com or explore our offerings at www.theheymateproject.com
Together, we can create safer, more supportive environments where creativity — and people — thrive.
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