Around Australia, music festival season is once again kicking into high gear. Yet behind every headline act is a vast and often invisible workforce of stage crew, sound engineers, lighting techs, riggers, truck drivers, backup singers, dancers and other support staff.

Many of these workers endure precarious conditions – dealing with inconsistent contracts, long hours and excessive travel. These issues aren’t confined to Australia’s arts scene, it’s a similar story around much of the world.

It’s a multifaceted problem, with no easy solutions. But an emerging influence – led by global artists such as Taylor Swift – could help move things in the right direction.

Recent assessments of Australia’s live music workforce paint a troubling picture.

A 2024 report from not-for-profit organisation CrewCare surveyed 292 members and found 45% of crew reported working excessive hours, while 53% said their hours prevented a healthy work-life balance.

It found 47% of respondents relied on income earned outside the industry just to make ends meet.

A separate

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