Article OBJECTIVE: Although artistic work is in transition, the occu- pational wellbeing of artists has been less studied than well- being among other workers. This study aimed to explore the relationship between work characteristics and occupational (psychosocial) wellbeing of artists. METHODS: A national questionnaire was sent to all artists (theatre artists, writers, and visual artists) reached by four major labor unions in Fin- land. Type of employment (permanent full-time work vs other), working field (own field of art vs other), regularity of working hours (regular vs irregular), and control of workload were assessed. The wellbeing outcomes were work engage- ment, recovery from work, and experience of stress and low mood. RESULTS: Full-time permanent employment, regular working hours, and working in one’s own field of art were positively associated with work engagement. Furthermore, regular working hours were positively associated with recovery and negatively associated with subjective report of low mood. Ability to control workload was positively associ- ated with recovery and negatively associated with stress and low mood. Higher age was associated with lower stress and better recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Artists with regular working hours, secure employment, ability to control work- load, working in one’s own field of art, and higher age reported better wellbeing in this study. The late stages of career appear to guarantee more stability and wellbeing than the more insecure beginning of a career. Med Probl Perform Art 2016; 31(2):104–109. A rtists’ work can be characterized “atypical” in terms of specific work stressors and resources. However, artists are seldom subjects of occupational health studies. Even more infrequent are studies concerning their mental wellbeing, although it is particularly necessary for workers who perform autonomous, creative, intensive, and per- sonal work, dependent on public recognition and uncer- tain funding. A search of PubMed using search terms “artists” and “occupational health” yielded 68 scientific articles, but most dealt with toxic exposures, physical ergonomics, and musculoskeletal problems. Three studies focused on psycho-social stress and psychiatric symptoms of musicians, 1–3 and one focused on mental wellbeing and stressors among dancers. 4 The rest of the few psychoso- cial studies were more unspecific, dealing with unhealthy behaviors of artists. A large Canadian study 5 explored the field of perform- ing arts, which is a rapidly evolving sector with cultural enterprises. They found that work-related health problems may exacerbate and even lead artists to reconsider their career orientation without intervention and support of occupational health services. The artists typically feel that they themselves are primarily responsible for their prob- lems, without considering the occupational stressors and hazards. However, they all mention the risks of overwork and burnout related, for example, to precarious employ- ment status—and associated precarious finances—that are typical of their field. In Finland, there are approximately 20,000 professional artists and 40,000 employees who are working in the cre- ative sector. 6 Herranen et al. 7 explored the professional role and challenges of visual artists in working life. They reported that 85% of the artists experienced at least some mental work strain, and mental strain was more common than physical strain. Continuity of income and career development, work safety, and coping with occupational stress were challenges that the artists had to encounter on their own. The stress is caused more by competition for economic resources and publicity than by art-making itself. 104 Medical Problems of Performing Artists Dr. Tuisku is Chief Psychiatrist, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Outpatient Clinic for Assessment of Ability to Work, Helsinki; and Dr. Houni is Specialized Researcher and Adjunct Professor, Dr. Seppänen is Chief of Statistics and Public Health Team, and Dr. Virta- nen is Research Professor and Public Health Nurse Psychol- ogist, at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland. This project was funded by the Finnish Work Environment Fund. Dr. Houni is supported by the Finnish Academy (Art- sequal 293199/2015). The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this study. Address for correspondence: Dr. Katinka Tuisku, Dep. of Psy- chiatry, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, PB 442, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland. Tel +358947175473, fax +358947175860. katinka.tuisku@hus.fi. http://dx.doi.org/10.21091/mppa.2016.2018 © 2016 Science & Medicine. www.sciandmed.com/mppa. Association Between Unstable Work and Occupational Wellbeing Among Artists in Finland Results of a Psychosocial Survey Katinka Tuisku, MD, PhD, Pia Houni, PhD, Johanna Seppänen, PhD, and Marianna Virtanen, PhD