Ruth Ballantyne (MU Wales and South West England Regional Officer) and Siân Gale (CULT Cymru Learning and Development Manager) at the Engaging Creative Freelancers Guide launch. Photo: ©The MU.
CULT Cymru, in partnership with the Musicians’ Union, has today launched Engaging Creative Freelancers: Best Practice Guide — a resource offering practical steps for organisations to support fair, safe and inclusive working conditions across Wales’ creative sector.
It forms part of CULT Cymru’s wider programme of training, wellbeing support and fair work advocacy, funded through the Wales Union Learning Fund and Creative Wales.
Practical steps for fairer freelance work
Freelancers make up the majority of the creative workforce in Wales, yet many face unpredictable working conditions, limited support and inconsistent access to safe and respectful workplaces. The new guide sets out clear, achievable actions that organisations of all sizes can take to create healthier, fairer and more sustainable working environments.
The guide sets out simple, good practice steps that:
- Support wellbeing across creative environments
- Reflect union standards
- Encourage positive conversations between engagers, freelancers and unions.
Above all, it shows how small, thoughtful changes can make a big difference to people’s working lives.
Backed by national partners
The resource has been welcomed by national partners including Arts Council of Wales, TAC, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, and TUC Cymru.
It will also be included in motions to both TUC Cymru and the South West TUC Congress this year, recognising its wider relevance to fair work and wellbeing across the creative economy.
Supporting musicians and the wider sector
The guide is available in both Welsh and English, and is for anyone who engages creative freelancers, from venues and producers to managers and organisations of all sizes, as well as freelancers themselves.
Naomi Pohl, General Secretary of the Musicians’ Union, said: “Freelancers are essential to the creative industries, and the Musicians’ Census shows that 72% of musicians are freelance, either for all or part of their careers. They deserve fair pay, safe workplaces and clear, respectful communication wherever they work.
“This guide sets out achievable steps that organisations can take to improve conditions and support the wellbeing of the freelance workforce across the sector. #FreelanceShoutOut”.
Putting fair work into action
The launch of this guide complements the MU’s wider policy work in Wales, including our Musicians’ Manifesto for the 2026 Senedd elections. The manifesto calls on political parties and candidates to commit to fair pay, safe working conditions and long-term sustainability for musicians and the wider creative workforce — priorities that this guide helps put into practical action.
The MU encourages members working in Wales to explore the new guide and share it with the venues and organisations they work with, helping to build a stronger culture of fair work across the creative industries.