In live production, we’re very good at looking after the show. We’re not always so good at looking after ourselves. Yet our ability to deliver world-class events rests entirely on people who are healthy, supported and able to stay in this industry for the long term.
The PSA has made member welfare a core part of what we do – not a bolt-on. A big part of that is working with the charities and organisations that already do this brilliantly, and making sure our members know how to find them and feel confident using what they offer.
A great example is The BACK LOUNGE, the peer-support community for touring and live events folk. We host a dedicated space for them on the PSA website and contributed to the development of their own site, because we believe in the power of crew talking to crew.
Through this partnership we host recorded sessions on our website covering practical professional topics – the kind of real-world conversations you don’t get in a classroom but desperately need on the road. Alongside that, there are live, unrecorded sessions that anyone can access, tackling issues like mental health, ageing parents, neurodivergence and bullying. No cameras, no judgement – just honest conversations in a space where people understand the pressures you’re under. We’re equally proud of our relationship with Backup Tech, the technical entertainment charity supporting those in serious hardship across live events, touring, theatre and broadcast.
We regularly signpost members to Backup Tech’s resources and cross-promote their work on our channels, and we’re planning to step that up in 2026 – exploring new ways to support their fundraising and encouraging PSA members to engage with their training programmes. When life goes sideways, Backup Tech is often the difference between coping and crisis; we want more of our community to know that safety net is there.
Hearing health is another area where the industry is waking up fast. Through Tinnitus UK we direct members to specialist support for hearing problems, particularly for those who spend their lives in loud environments. We’ve also partnered with ACS Custom to offer PSA members discounts on high-quality hearing protection – not a nice-to-have, but essential PPE. Hearing loss is still too often treated as an occupational inevitability; we’re determined to help change that.
Our proud and long-standing relationship with Stage Hand, the original live event technicians’ welfare fund, continues to grow as the charity itself expands its reach. Stage Hand supports production workers facing serious illness, injury or genuine hardship, and we’ll keep backing their work and signposting crew their way. For many of our members, knowing Stage Hand exists makes the industry feel that bit less precarious and we’re right to be proud of them, after all, we started that as our very own benevolent fund, but it now supports everyone, whether a PSA member or not.
Looking ahead, we’re deepening our collaboration with EventWell. Together we’re developing a dedicated area on the PSA website focused on supporting neurodivergent people working in – and attending – events. The aim is to build a practical, accessible resource that anyone in the industry can use, whether they’re planning shows, staffing them, or simply trying to make their environments more inclusive.None of this replaces the day-to-day support we offer as a trade association – it amplifies it. By working hand-in-hand with these charities and wellbeing initiatives, we can give our members not just a voice, but a genuine support network.
If you’re a PSA member, or work alongside one, take ten minutes to explore these resources, share our website signposting with your crews, and talk about them on site. The more we normalise using this support, the much stronger – and more sustainable – our industry becomes.
Words: Liz Madden and Tom Rees
Photo: Callan Halliwell
