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Taike researches and supports the occupational wellbeing of artists

The Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) has launched a work guidance pilot programme in five locations. The pilot will investigate the effects of work guidance on the occupational wellbeing of artists over a six-month follow-up period. The occupational wellbeing of artists is also being studied in this year’s Arts and Culture Barometer, the questionnaire for which has just been released.
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Work guidance groups comprising representatives of different fields of the arts will be convened in Rovaniemi, Oulu, Kuopio, Jyväskylä and Hämeenlinna.

According to Regional Artist Raimo Pesonen, head of the Occupational Wellbeing for Artists Project, the pilot programme represents a new initiative.

“The work guidance services offered by artists’ associations have had good results, but joint work guidance groups for artists from all fields of the arts have not been tried before, nor have impact assessments been made on this scale,” Pesonen says.

The exceptional work-related strain on artists has been observed, for example, in a study conducted by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health ten years ago. The Covid-19 pandemic created an additional burden on artists, while the existing challenges did not go away. According to Pesonen, this is the key reason for launching Taike’s Occupational Wellbeing for Artists Project.

“Commonly experienced problems often mean that common solutions can also be found. This is exactly what will be tested in our work guidance groups comprising artists from different fields of the arts,” Pesonen explains.

Arts and Culture Barometer to compile information about occupational wellbeing

The theme of this year’s Arts and Culture Barometer is the occupational wellbeing of artists. The questionnaire gathers views regarding the work and occupational wellbeing of artists, factors that support and undermine occupational wellbeing, and occupational health services and other services that support occupational wellbeing.

The questionnaire is open to artists in all fields of the arts until 30 September  and can be found online at https://link.webropol.com/s/taiteilijakysely2022.

Services related to the occupational wellbeing of artists and related development needs are also being surveyed by means of a separate questionnaire for artist organisations.

“It is important also to highlight new needs, models and development ideas among organisations that follow closely the state of occupational wellbeing among artists,” says Special Advisor Kaija Rensujeff.

Further information

Raimo Pesonen, Regional Artist, +358 (0)29 533 0871, [email protected]

Kaija Rensujeff, Special Advisor, +358 (0)295 330 721, [email protected]