Creative Labour Sustainability Framework
A peer-reviewed framework helping organisations across the creative industries strengthen mental health by reducing psychosocial risk.
Creative work
inspires us all.
But this work can also involve intense workloads, uncertain working arrangements, blurred boundaries and high emotional demands. Data from the United Kingdom and the USA reveals that artistic and cultural workers have one of the highest suicide rates of all occupations.
Many creative organisations recognise these challenges and care deeply, but have limited ways of understanding them systematically or knowing where to begin.
The Creative Labour Sustainability Framework is here to help. Organisations across the creative industries now have a tool to build healthier and more sustainable workplaces.
What is the CLSF?
Built on evidence.Developed for practice.
The Creative Labour Sustainability Framework is a mental health risk assessment for the creative industries. It is designed to identify how to strengthen the systems and practices that support healthier working lives in the arts.
Developed through years of interdisciplinary research, it brings together evidence from psychology, sociology, organisational behaviour, public health and the creative industries.
Using the framework couldn’t be easier.
- Convene your top team for a morning or afternoon together.
- Work through the five sections of the CLSF exercises via conversations and reflection.
- Derive your banding score for each section.
- Identify areas to work on over the next 12 months.
- Receive your CLSF kitemark for your website.
A risk assessment framework designed around the distinctive realities of creative work.
How it works
The CLSF
Assessment
A guided self-assessment through five key areas of organisational governance. Upon completion, a kitemark for your organisation to publicly show your commitment to psychologically sustainable work.
- 01Identify current strengths
- 02Recognise areas for improvement
- 03Targeted recommendations and next steps
- 04Monitor progress over time
- 05Build healthier creative workplaces
The assessment is designed as a private learning process, rather than a public compliance exercise.
Who is it for?
One framework.
Many creative worlds.
Designed for organisations across the full breadth of the creative industries.
Music & festivals
Film & television
Theatre & dance
Fashion & design
Games
Museums, publishing & visual arts
Become an early adopter
Help shape the
first community
We’re building the first community of organisations interested in undertaking the CLSF Assessment. Register to receive updates and early access opportunities.
Become a sector partner
Tailored to your
sector and country
Work with us to design a sector-specific CLSF Assessment. The first will launch for the UK music industry developed alongside a major sector partner. Could you be next?