Professional performing artists are often faced with significant occupational challenges throughout their studies and subsequent careers which can in turn lead to a number of psychological and health issues.
It is well documented that professional musicians experience a range of mental health issues due to the psychologically demanding nature of their profession (e.g., Pecen, Collins, & MacNamara, 2016; Perkins et al., 2017; Van Fenema & Van Geel, 2014). Professional dancers and actors constitute two other groups that are also at risk of developing mental health issues (Grove, Main & Sharp, 2013; Maxwell, Seton, & Szabo, 2015; Laws & Apps, 2005; Robb & Due, 2018; Robb, Due, & Venning, 2016; Schmidt et al., 2015).
In 2019, the Department of Applied Psychology and the Royal Conservatoire of the Antwerp University College (AP Hogeschool) started a research collaboration. The goal of this research project was to perform a qualitative, in-depth investigation of the various shared mental health challenges that professional musicians, dancers and actors face in their studies and subsequent careers.
The current study shows that performing artists are confronted with a plethora of mental health challenges in their studies and careers which may increase their chances of developing mental health issues. Therefore, conservatories and professional organizations within the fields of music, dance and drama should increase their focus on the mental health and well-being of their students and working professionals. One possibility to do so is by actively promoting psychological resilience among performing artists through prevention programs in conservatories and artistic organizations.
From this research, the conservatoire developed a 12‑hour psycho‑educational introductory course. Since the academic year 2022–23, this course has been an integral part of the curriculum for every first-year student at our conservatoire.
It is with great enthusiasm that the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp (RCA) presents you this new Resilient Artists lesson package!
The Resilient Artists lesson package is part of the broader prevention and support policy within RCA. The package is available via the conservatoire website and is fully modular, so you can easily implement it in arts education, workshops, studios, or individual coaching trajectories:
https://ap-arts.be/en/resilient-artist-course-package
RCA has put together a strong team of lecturers, each with a unique dual profile: they are active professionals in the artistic field and hold a degree in psychology.
If your organization is interested in using this prevention package, RCA is happy to provide practical information or contact details of our lecturers. They will gladly work with you to adapt the material to the needs of your organization, or to offer workshops or classes.
