The Risk Factor: Career Uncertainty & Parenthood
July 2025 - 5 Minute Read
Navigating a career path is never straightforward. Deciding when to make changes, take leaps, or switch directions entirely can be both strategic and emotionally draining. Within the cultural sector, these challenges are compounded by sector-wide instability. Professionals in the arts must constantly assess risk: Will my job still exist in five years? Will my temporary contract ever become permanent? Will my department’s priorities shift overnight due to new leadership or government policy? Will financial uncertainty in the sector hinder salary increases, even as the cost of living rises? The inherent uncertainty of cultural organisations often turns career and life planning into a game of chance.
This uncertainty, however, adds an additional layer of complexity for women—particularly those who wish to have children while continuing their careers.
The Unique Risks Women Face
In any sector, the decision to pause or adjust a career for parenthood is a significant one. For women in the arts, this decision is magnified by the sector’s instability. Through my interview series with female cultural leaders who are also mothers, a recurring theme emerged: risk.
Risk, in this context, reflects the added uncertainty that comes with stepping away from a career in the arts to start a family. Women in the field repeatedly raise questions like:
If I have a family, will my role still exist when I return?
Will my department have the resources to cover my workload adequately?
Will the financial fragility of my organisation mean that my projects will be sidelined while I’m on leave?
Does the lack of stable maternity and paternity support in the sector create barriers for those wanting to start a family?
The common concern is clear: for women in the arts, career instability is already a given. Adding parenthood into the equation only heightens the risk of job loss, stagnation, or exclusion from leadership opportunities.
Gendered Differences in Career Risk-Taking
Another pressing issue is whether these concerns are equally shared by men. Many women I interviewed questioned whether their male colleagues—particularly those planning to become fathers—face the same fears. Several expressed the belief that:
Men don’t think about career gaps in the same way, as they are less likely to experience the same emotional and physical recovery journey as their partners.
Without these concerns, do men feel more empowered to take risks in their careers?
Does the burden of job insecurity fall disproportionately on women, simply because they are expected to take more time away for childcare?
Despite these fears, the women I spoke with were resolute: having a family would not derail their careers. However, they acknowledged that their decision-making process required additional layers of consideration due to the structural challenges within the arts sector.
The Cultural Sector’s Responsibility
The arts are known for creativity, innovation, and pushing boundaries—but when it comes to financial security and workplace infrastructure, they often fall short. Many women must choose between leaving their roles entirely to have a family or taking a chance on returning to an unpredictable environment.
This raises crucial sector-wide questions:
Are cultural organisations doing enough to provide job security for women who want to have children?
Is the conversation about parental support integrated into company strategy and policy-making?
How much talent is lost due to sectoral instability—talent that, if retained, could have significantly shaped the arts industry?
Where are fathers in this conversation? Parental leave policies should not only address gender balance but also promote shared responsibility and support for all parents.
Moving Forward
If the arts sector truly values innovation and leadership, it must confront its instability and its impact on career progression—especially for women. This is not just a question of equity but one of long-term sustainability. Addressing these gaps could mean retaining and nurturing the talent that will shape the future of the sector. Otherwise, we risk losing invaluable leadership simply because the system fails to support those who wish to both create and care.