An Artistic Living Wage

Let's say that you decide right now that you want to make a living wage for your art.

Please understand that when you make that decision you have crossed a line . . . you are no longer just an artist.

You're a marketer.

You're a fundraiser

You may be a leader of emerging arts organization.

But that "just an artist" thing is gone.  Forever.

If you really think you are going to be able to work the giant wheel of commerce in such a way that you will be able to make a full time (or even a decent part time) living without getting your hands real dirty in the muck of marketing, networking, etc. then you are just fooling yourself.

But here's a secret I'll share . . .

Being in the muck really isn't that bad.

Really, it isn't.

I know you may have been taught that it was.  But there are a lot of good people in the arts world.  And no, those people aren't just the artists.

There are some good artistic directors.

Brilliant executive directors

Savvy marketing people.

You get the idea.

If you stick to your career for a while, you'll have a chance to meet some of them.

But that's for later.  Right now, just think about your decision.

Comments

[RVCBard]

Do you think that artists refrain from marketing because they see it as part of the "evil" advertising industry?

Or is there something else at work here?

[Rebecca Coleman]

Oh, yeah. Bring it on!

[Lindsay Price]

It makes me laugh when people comment on my life in the arts as 'leisurely...'

And it makes me sad when the artists, writers and actors I know just won't actively take on those other elements, and wonder why they're not doing as well as they could.

[Adam]

Rebecca C,

I love your Art of the Biz blog. I'll be adding it to my blog roll.

Lindsay,

It makes me sad as well. It used to make me angry. Now I'm just stuck at sad.