Entertainment Assist

What Entertainment Assist does

Entertainment Assist is an Australian health promotion charity that delivers evidence-based mental health education programs to entertainment industry workers. Operating from South Yarra, Victoria, the organization addresses sector-specific mental health challenges where Australian entertainment workers experience suicide attempts at twice the general population rate, anxiety symptoms at 10 times the rate, and depression symptoms at five times the rate. Its primary audience comprises performers, technicians, producers, agents, crew, and support workers across live and recorded performing arts.

The organization's flagship product is INTERMISSION, a 3-hour evidence-based mental health training program delivered in-person or online and tailored to specific industry segments. Supporting products include a free Mental Health Webinars series covering topics such as managing uncertainty, boundaries, grief, and sleep; 1-hour Information Sessions for workplaces and conferences; and the Australian Alliance for Wellness in Entertainment (AAWE) cross-sector initiative that brings together 12+ peak industry bodies including APRA AMCOS, Everymind, MEAA, Live Performance Australia, Screen Producers Australia, Equity Foundation, and Support Act. The underlying methodology rests on commissioned research, including a 2016 study with 2,904 survey respondents yielding 488,000 data points, a 2020 Everymind COVID-19 industry impact study, and the Mind Your Own Showbiz report, supplemented by psychologist-led program delivery.

Entertainment Assist operates as Entertainment Assist (HPC) Ltd, a donation-funded nonprofit (ABN 83 609 638 182) bound by Australia's Privacy Act 1988. All programs are provided free of charge to industry participants; revenue is sourced from individual donations, community fundraising events, and bequests, with tax-deductible status under Australian charity law. The organization employs 6 people and is led by General Manager Julia Edwards following the July 2023 transition in which Founding Director Ian B. Allen AM stepped down. Distribution relies on direct enterprise engagement through workplace training sessions, industry conferences, and partnerships with universities and venues such as Arts Centre Melbourne.

Name

Entertainment Assist

Legal name

Entertainment Assist (HPC) Ltd

Website

https://entertainmentassist.org.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Entertainment Assist is an Australian health promotion charity delivering evidence-based mental health education, led by its INTERMISSION training program, to performers, technicians, and producers across the entertainment industry. Services are free and donation-funded.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Education Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Wellness Program Design & Accountability Coaching (HSADAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Mental health education
• Workplace wellness programs
• Suicide prevention services
• Entertainment industry support
• Mental health training

Headquarters

HQ city

South Yarra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Entertainment Assist relies on the generosity of donors. As a health promotion charity with tax concession status, donations are tax deductible. The organization raises funds through direct donations on its website.
2. Community Fundraising: Community members can organize their own fundraising events using the provided Community Fundraising Kit, which contains guidelines, suggestions, and registration forms.
3. Bequests: Individuals can leave a bequest to Entertainment Assist in their Will as a way of leaving a lasting legacy to support the entertainment industry's mental health.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Entertainment Assist delivers INTERMISSION, an evidence-based, prevention-first 3-hour mental health training program tailored to specific roles within the Australian entertainment industry (performers, technicians, producers, agents, crew), supported by free mental health webinars, 1-hour workplace information sessions, and curated wellbeing resources. The charity also convenes the Australian Alliance for Wellness in Entertainment (AAWE), a cross-sector coalition of peak bodies driving industry-wide mental health advocacy. All programs and resources are provided free of charge, funded by tax-deductible donations, bequests, and community fundraising.

Product overview

Entertainment Assist operates as a health promotion charity focused on mental health advocacy and education for the Australian entertainment industry. The organisation's core offering is the INTERMISSION program, a 3-hour evidence-based mental health training program delivered face-to-face or online. This is supported by supplementary offerings including a Mental Health Webinars series (covering topics such as Managing Uncertainty, Healthy Habits, Sleep, Grief, and Boundaries), Information Sessions (1-hour workplace presentations), and the Australian Alliance for Wellness in Entertainment (AAWE) initiative that brings together industry peak bodies for collaborative mental health advocacy. The organisation also publishes the Entertainment Assist Magazine and provides wellbeing resources. All programs are human-delivered based on evidence-based research and specialist health expertise—these are educational and support services, not technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Australian Alliance for Wellness in Entertainment (AAWE): A world-first, cross-sector initiative for shared interest in positive mental health and wellbeing behaviours for a sustainable Australian entertainment industry. A collaboration of peak organisations including APRA AMCOS, Everymind, Arts Wellbeing Collective, DDCA, Ausdance QLD, Equity, Live Performance Australia, Screen Producers Australia, Support Act, ASPAH, CrewCare, and MEAA.

Products and services

• INTERMISSION Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Suicide attempts reduced to double general population rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• APRA AMCOScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Australian Alliance for Wellness in Entertainment (AAWE), a cross-sector initiative for shared interest in positive mental health and wellbeing behaviours for a sustainable Australian entertainment industry.
• EverymindcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health partner for AAWE (formerly Hunter Institute for Mental Health). Conducts research on mental health challenges in the entertainment industry and develops resources to address industry needs.
• Arts Wellbeing CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts Centre Melbourne initiative delivered in partnership with Entertainment Assist. A resource for industry employers comprising a consortium of Victorian arts and cultural organisations whose shared vision is to effect better mental health and wellbeing for Victorian arts workers.
• Equity FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the AAWE alliance working to reduce the sector's high incidence of suicide, anxiety, depression and substance abuse through collaborative leadership.
• Live Performance AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the AAWE alliance representing live performance venues and operators committed to positive mental health and wellbeing behaviours.
• Screen Producers AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the AAWE alliance representing screen production industry committed to mental health and wellbeing for entertainment workers.
• Support ActcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the AAWE alliance providing wellbeing helpline for anyone working in Australian music or creative industries. Well-being Helpline: 1800 959 500.
• Australian Society for Performing Arts Healthcare (ASPAH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the AAWE alliance providing healthcare professionals experienced in working with people in the performing arts.
• CrewCarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the AAWE alliance supporting crew and technical workers in the entertainment industry with mental health resources.
• Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the AAWE alliance representing entertainment industry workers and advocating for their mental health and wellbeing.
• Ausdance QLDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the AAWE alliance representing dance industry professionals committed to positive mental health and wellbeing.
• DDCAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the AAWE alliance contributing to the prevention first framework for mental health in the Australian entertainment industry.
• Victoria UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for the 'Working in the Australian Entertainment Industry' study, together with Victorian College of the Arts, conducted by Dr J van den Eynde, Prof A Fisher, Assoc Prof C Sonn.
• Victorian College of the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for Phase One industry interviews and the 'Working in the Australian Entertainment Industry' research report.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Headspace (Australia): Australia's national youth mental health foundation. Broad incumbent providing mental health support and education that overlaps with the wellbeing and self-care training space where Entertainment Assist operates.
• R U OK?: Australian suicide prevention charity promoting mental health conversations across workplaces and communities. Broad incumbent offering workplace awareness training competing with Entertainment Assist's Information Sessions and INTERMISSION awareness component.
• Black Dog Institute: Major Australian medical research institute focused on mental health across the population. Broad incumbent offering workplace mental health programs and research that competes for employer training contracts and donor funding with Entertainment Assist's INTERMISSION program.

Direct peers

• Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund): US nonprofit providing social services, health insurance counseling, and mental health support to performing arts and entertainment professionals. Direct peer serving the performing arts community with social services and wellbeing programming comparable to Entertainment Assist's scope.
• Backline: US nonprofit connecting music industry professionals and their families with mental health and wellness resources. Direct peer operating in the music industry mental health charity space with similar awareness, education, and referral service delivery.
• Arts Wellbeing Collective: Arts Centre Melbourne initiative delivered in partnership with Entertainment Assist, providing mental health resources for arts industry employers across Victoria. Direct peer operating in the same Australian arts/entertainment wellbeing space with overlapping employer-targeted services.
• Equity Foundation: Australian not-for-profit supporting performers across the entertainment industry, providing education and wellbeing services. AAWE alliance partner that targets a closely overlapping Australian performer workforce with comparable education and mental health support programming.
• MusiCares (Recording Academy / Grammy Foundation): US-based charity providing mental health, addiction recovery, and financial assistance specifically to music professionals. A globally recognised direct peer operating the same industry-vertical mental health charity model as Entertainment Assist.
• Music Minds Matter (Help Musicians UK): UK charity delivering mental health support services specifically for musicians and the music industry. Direct functional peer in another geography, supporting the same 'mental health for music/entertainment workers' mission as Entertainment Assist.
• Support Act: An Australian charity providing wellbeing services (including a helpline at 1800 959 500) for music and creative industry workers, and an AAWE alliance partner of Entertainment Assist. Directly comparable as a charity delivering mental health and crisis services to the same Australian entertainment industry vertical.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/entertainment-assist

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Entertainment Assist