the music industry still constrains mothers' careers

Women participate in Australia’s music industries – as musicians and workers – at rates well below men. 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.

One key finding – unsurprisingly – was that caring responsibilities and parenthood were common reasons for women taking a break. These responsibilities then create barriers to re-establishing careers and career progression in music.

This, of course, is not unique to music work. Women take on the majority of caring work for children. It means they take longer away from their careers, and are more likely to return on a part-time basis. This leaves them at a disadvantage compared to men who have had no career interruptions.

But there are particular circumstances in the music industry that create complications and problems specific to this field, compounding the disadvantage new parents face in any workplace and compounding the issues of insecure work in music.

Read more: Returning to work after childbirth: still a case of 'managing it all'

Unsociable social hours

The culture of music has been built around its role in the entertainment industries. Gigs are often held late at night, and the consumption of alcohol (and possibly other drugs) is central to many music scenes.

Even music with a more conservative image, like classical, is still performed outside normal working hours.

As one person we interviewed said:

I really had to start reinventing my world because as a single mum I couldn’t do a nighttime life, I couldn’t. I couldn’t afford babysitters, and your job is to parent. 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.

This separation of music performance from “everyday life” and domesticity means industry structures, such as venues and booking agents, often overlook basic accommodations for women with caring responsibilities.

One respondent said:

Touring is really, really difficult with a child because venues often don’t provide you with accommodation or green rooms or anywhere you can change a nappy or put a child down. You have to have a carer on tour with you to make that work and women with families manage that but it’s the exception, not the rule.

Another interviewee told us they had become sick with mastitis because of a lack of places to breastfeed or express.

Irregular work puts mothers off beat

The literal gig economy of music means not having regular hours, which makes planning financially and organisationally difficult.

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.

This unpredictability and informal nature mean a lack of structures protecting workers. Often working as sole traders or on short-term contracts, women have little recourse if they face discrimination because of their parenting status, if they are underpaid, or if they face harassment.