The arts, media and recreational services industry is full of passionate people. Work can be seasonal or ongoing, providing you with flexibility. If you’re driven and care about delivering quality experiences and services, this industry might be for you.
What people love about working in arts, media and recreational services
Some of the benefits of working in arts, media and recreational services are:
- You can work with creative, skilled and passionate people.
- You can explore opportunities related to your special interest. This could be art, music or fitness for example.
- You can work with tourists and other diverse people from around the world.
- Your work will deliver value to the public and help put Victoria on the map.
Where you can work
The arts, media and recreational services industry has a wide range of employers. For example, you could work for a theatre, festival or local council.
The kinds of arts, media and recreational services settings you could work in include:
- theatres
- galleries
- museums
- gyms
- pools
- heritage sites
- event and function centres
- marketing and communications departments
- government and local councils.
Median salary
The median weekly earnings for people who work in the arts and recreational services industry in Australia is $1,641.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia(opens in a new window)
Note that this salary is current as of January 2025 and is indicative only. A range of salaries apply to different roles across the industry.
Job demand in Victoria
Below are the employment projections for the arts and recreation services industry in Victoria. Figures show the number of workers in 2024 and the new workers expected to enter the workforce by 2027 and 2034.
‘New workers expected’ accounts for workers adding new jobs to the economy and replacing retirees over the next 3 and 10 years. These projections are estimates only. There will be additional jobs available as people move between jobs and industries.
Note that specific data is not available for media services.
| Region | Workers 2024 | New workers expected by 2027 | New workers expected by 2034 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria | 71,301 | 4,327 | 21,121 |
| Melbourne – inner metropolitan | 25,158 | 1,786 | 7,750 |
| Melbourne – inner south-east metropolitan | 4,744 | 178 | 1,051 |
| Melbourne – southern metropolitan | 8,447 | 376 | 2,245 |
| Melbourne – northern metropolitan | 6,626 | 435 | 2,233 |
| Melbourne – eastern metropolitan | 7,130 | 243 | 1,626 |
| Melbourne – western metropolitan | 5,955 | 496 | 2,317 |
| Ballarat and surrounds (Central Highlands) | 1,975 | 144 | 644 |
| Bendigo, Echuca and surrounds (Loddon Campaspe) | 2,126 | 122 | 649 |
| Geelong, Colac and surrounds (Barwon) | 3,049 | 248 | 1,041 |
| Gippsland | 2,687 | 122 | 728 |
| Horsham and surrounds (Wimmera Southern Mallee) | 435 | 17 | 81 |
| Mildura, Swan Hill and surrounds (Mallee) | 493 | 23 | 95 |
| Shepparton, Seymour and surrounds (Goulburn) | 756 | 35 | 203 |
| Wangaratta, Wodonga and surrounds (Ovens Murray) | 1,010 | 60 | 301 |
| Warrnambool, Hamilton and surrounds (Great South Coast) | 710 | 44 | 158 |
Career success stories
James makes waves in the tourism industry
“TAFE provided a practical pathway to get back to my education after taking time away. It’s been the foundation for my future business ventures in the service and tourism industry.”
Rewriting his story: Joe’s creative career change
“I’ve always enjoyed the creative side of life – art, music, literature. As a millennial, I think my generation is changing what career paths can look like, and normalising making a change.”
Resources to plan your next steps
Visit our arts, media and recreational services industry profile to find out about:
- what it’s like to work in arts, media and recreational services, and some of the jobs you could do
- training and skills to work in the industry, and financial assistance to help pay for your course
- help getting a job in arts, media and recreational services, and industry job projections for Victoria
- other free resources and advice to plan your training and career.
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