I am a middle-aged woman, working backstage in theatre for over 25 years, in the costume department.
I am classed as freelance, part-time casual, but I have had mostly one main employer for the past 16 years. The company is an outside employer that supplies crew for shows for theatres across Ireland. My key role is as Head Dresser at one of these theatres. The theatre is mainly a receiving house for UK and US touring shows, and these shows employ local costume dressers like us to support their touring costume team. I am also needed as a point of contact between the Production company and my employer and the theatre.
When there is no show on a particular week or weeks I have to rely on a Jobseeker’s payment. Working in this way has been called into question a few times as the Department of Social Protection does not understand that when you finish working on a show sometimes the next show doesn't fall exactly into place the very next week. Working in theatre means you are providing entertainment for everybody else's down time and so your hours are not the same as people working in a bank or in retail or any office job. At Christmas time when everyone else is switching off work for a family break, those of us in theatre are hard at work creating the memories.
I have spent my working life being a "Jobseeker" but it's very difficult to explain this. I am currently under pressure to attend Intreo meetings every 3 weeks, in order to move away from something I'm good at, to get a full-time job at something I'm average at.
And so I'm wondering - since somebody has to do my job - how does the new person who is given my job manage their finances any better than I have, without calling on the state for help and without being treated like a slacker? More understanding of people working in the Arts is needed.