4th November 2026
At PPL’s Annual Performer Meeting in Edinburgh today, BAPAM Executive Medical Director, Dr Finola Ryan, launched StageFit – the first-of-its-kind online health training tool for everyone in the performing arts.
StageFit is evidence-based and clinically reviewed by BAPAM experts to gives every individual and organisation in the performing arts industry a foundational knowledge of how to protect their own and others’ health while they create, work and perform.
Free for individuals, the platform provides ‘day-one’ health training for everyone working or studying in the performing arts, across the UK.
The performing arts is a vital part of the creative ecosystem, as referenced in the UK Government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan. Growth and sustainability in this sector depends on the health of the people who work in it. However, 75% of performing arts professionals will experience an injury or illness that will impact their ability to work or study.
And, unlike other sectors where rates of poor health are high, the performing arts has until now lacked foundational training that addresses the specific health needs of its workers.
StageFit gives easy to follow, essential knowledge grounded in BAPAM’s performing arts medicine, creative work and health expertise. This accessible training gives everyone in the performing arts an essential understanding of how to protect their own and others’ health and how their work impacts this – at an individual, group, organisational and industry-wide level.
To create a safer, healthier performing arts ecosystem, it is imperative for musicians, dancers, actors, managers, educators and backstage professionals to understand how creative sector work, environments and culture impact health. This is especially important for businesses and organisations who have a responsibility to protect artists, employees, students, freelancers and contractors.
StageFit covers four key areas that are known to be impacted by a career in the performing arts: hearing health, vocal health, mental health and musculoskeletal health.
StageFit has been created with funding from our partners PPL Giving, and with the support of Review:Creative, our technology partner who built the platform.
StageFit is free to access for individuals in the performing arts. You can register today to begin your free training at www.stagefit.org.uk.
StageFit for Organisations offers enhanced functionality that includes a centrally managed StageFit training programme enabling enrolment and certification, helping to protect your workforce, students and organisation. If you would like to find out how StageFit can enhance your existing health offering, please contact training@bapam.org.uk.
Dr Finola Ryan, Executive Medical Director, BAPAM said: “Work and health go hand in hand in the performing arts and creative sectors, where highly skilled people do demanding work. It’s no surprise that three in four performing arts professionals will experience an illness or injury that affects their career. Whether they stay well depends a great deal on the task, the environment and the culture they work in, which makes reducing that number everyone’s job. StageFit provides clinically backed training for individuals and organisations to recognise the impact of work on health, and to reduce and prevent work-related health problems.”
Claire Cordeaux, CEO, BAPAM said: “StageFit is a vital training tool which gives everyone in the performing arts sector the knowledge to recognise health risks and take practical action to address them. The modules explain the common health risks of working in the performing arts, how to reduce them and what to do when a health problem occurs. BAPAM exists to support health in the performing arts and our clinical experts, together with the creative sector, work to improve wellbeing, reduce health risks, and support creativity. This tool brings baseline performing arts health information to every single person studying or working in the performing arts. We are so grateful to our clinical experts who have developed the content, our technology partner Review:Creative and to PPL for providing the funding. We hope to see industry and education organisations adopt StageFit as standard training across their teams and institutions.”
Peter Leathem OBE, CEO, PPL said: “BAPAM brings unique clinical expertise to the UK’s creative industries, helping to ensure that health initiatives are safe, effective and accessible. PPL is proud to have supported the development of StageFit, a first-of-its-kind resource giving people across the performing arts free access to practical, evidence-based information to help protect their health and wellbeing throughout their careers.”
Lizzy – Music Manager / Outdoor Arts Producer said: “This is a brilliant learning tool – rooted in real-life scenarios and chunked into easy sections. A great combination of medical information and practical application.”