Taking control

Performers report that they often feel they have very little control over their own career and this is a trigger for anxiety  or depression. They find they are continually chasing employment or worrying about finding the next job whilst at the same time trying to give their best in their current work.  This results in what feels like a non-stop and exhausting spiral.  Some people succeed in breaking this pattern by creating their own work or setting up their own company; others take a look at their skills and consider using them to gain work in different creative areas; others  try to get more active about finding work rather than purely relying on agents; some decide to do more self-marketing.

Here are some suggestions and resources which may be of help in breaking out of the cycle. Some  of these come from FEU Training. This is the Federation of Entertainment Unions’ initiative comprising workshops and online resources all of which are free for members of Equity, the Musicians Union, National Union of Journalists and the Writers Guild of Great Britain.  In Wales there is the CULT Cymru programme which is free to members of BECTU, Equity, Musicians Union and the Writers Guild of Great Britain.