‘You are left flailing to try and look after yourself': the music industry still constrains mothers' careers

• On average, women receive less airplay on Australian radio, less pay and less representation on music boards, awards and line-ups than their male counterparts.
• Understanding why women might leave their music careers and what could bring them back is an important part of solving the puzzle to increase their participation.
• We recently conducted a study aimed at developing strategies to help women and gender-non-conforming people in Victoria return to music work after a career break.

Unsociable social hours

• Even music with a more conservative image, like classical, is still performed outside normal working hours.
• So the whole nighttime scenario was – I could occasionally get out, but I couldn’t have a career with gigs and rehearsals after hours.
• So the whole nighttime scenario was – I could occasionally get out, but I couldn’t have a career with gigs and rehearsals after hours.
• Even when respondents could afford childcare, they told us the hours on offer do not match with when they are needed.

Irregular work puts mothers off beat

• It’s not an office job where you know you’re working nine to five, five days a week, and those hours are set for the whole year.
• I mean it can be very flexible but at the same time there’s that unpredictability [which] can be really hard with arranging childcare or additional hours.
• In an industry where women and gender-non-conforming people are already facing sexism, harassment and ageism, parenthood can be the final straw.
• For others, seeing how hard parenting is in music might lead them to delay having children, or not have them at all.

Making music work more accessible

• Music industry employers and workers offered several suggestions to improve the conditions for parents in the music industry.
• Working to change the culture of the music industry so women with children are not treated as a novelty would help retain the talent of many who struggle to balance caring and music work.

Community is key

• Our key takeaways were about the importance of personal relationships.
• Networks are fundamental to building strong music careers.
• People in our study had formed connections with one another and were resolved to develop their careers.