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Internships
An internship is a junior level job. It should include hands on training while you work and earn money. What is an internship? There is no legal definition of an internship. An internship is a type of low level…
Invoicing
An invoice is a bill. You send an invoice when you work for someone and are self employed. Most employers will not pay you unless you send an invoice.
Artists fees
The fee you can charge for your time depends on how long you have worked professionally and the job you are doing There are number of online fee calculators if you are looking for a quick idea of…
Practice and pedagogy
How can artists earn a living? They often support their practices through some form of teaching. This could be through workshops or academic context. How can this approach to livelihood inform practice and vice versa? Members of…
Negotiation for artists
The value of artists labour is often unrecognised. This makes negotiation particularly important for artists. The guide below covers basics tactics of negotiation, useful in most circumstances. Artists can often fall into the gratitude trap. We are…
Working as an artist’s assistant
Many established artists employ assistants. This can be a good way for artists to earn money, develop skills and learn about the art world. Here, painter Michael McManus talks about working as an artist’s assistant.…
What work should I get paid for?
If you work in the arts you should get paid. Even if you volunteer you should get paid expenses so that working does not cost you anything. Many people in the arts do…
Susan Royce: avoiding the hobbyist approach
What does it mean to turn doing what you love into a business? Art consultant Susan Royce shares her thoughts. I started working in the arts as a happy accident. I soon realised I…
Hiring people
Even if you are self employed, there may come a point when you need more formal assistance in your practice. For example, you might need to produce a large commission and need help for the period of a…
Working as a sound artist
Jason Singh writes on working as a sound artist. This includes his experience of opportunities, earning, networking and workshops. What is sound art? Wikipedia defines sound art as: “..a diverse group of art practices that…
Your legal rights as an artist
As an artist, you have specific and well established legal rights. It’s important to know what these when you start out in the art world. Key legal issues that you should be aware of…
Career planning for artists
Spending a bit of time planning your career and future as an artist can yield huge rewards. Unless you know very clearly where you want to be and how you’re going to get there, you’ll be…
National Insurance
Employees and self employed people must also pay National Insurance (NI) as well to pay for benefits and pensions. NI is separate from income tax. It pays specifically for unemployment benefits for yourself if you become unemployed. If…
Self employment
Self employment means that you work for yourself. Many artists work in different short term projects and get paid as a freelancer. Some also have regular employment too. How do artists work? Artists, like everyone else, will work…
Insurance
Having adequate insurance protects your work, studio, equipment and materials. If anything gets stolen or damaged you’ll be able to replace it. Insurance also protects you if an accident occurs while working with the public. There are two main…
Gallery education
One of the many ways that artists can earn a living is working in a gallery education programme. Gallery education programmes often run in publicly funded spaces. They are a way for the gallery to engage with their…
Volunteering in the arts
If you are a volunteer, remember, even if you work for nothing, your time is still worth something. Consider your time as a donation to an organisation you work for. It is an investment in your…