An article for Arts Professional

Gillian Bates takes a look at the lighter side of life and work as a freelance in the arts.

How many times have you looked through the jobs pages of our very own ArtsProfessional, or the Monday Media Guardian? And how many times have you thought, hey, that looks good? Then, there, in the small print, you notice that the salary appears to be just above that of a weekly paper round? Why, in the arts sector, do so many people work so hard and earn so little? I happened on a website which outlined the salaries for teachers. Fresh from teacher training, they go in at £18,000 and this increases quite rapidly with yearly increments and extra responsibility payments.

In the arts, £18,000 could buy a fairly senior officer who will line manage, recruit and hold responsibility for a budget. If the incumbent asks for a pay rise they may provoke the silent resentment of colleagues and from management comes the usual “sorry, you are worth more but our hands are tied”. Colleagues and management alike treat them as if they’ve just demanded a razor with the intent of slashing the Mona Lisa.

I recently went to a meeting where a well-regarded and highly experienced arts marketer (hey, he can now quote me on his CV!) was telling us he has taken on part-time evening work at another venue as a front of house manager. Why? Because he had bought a house and wanted to be able to buy things to put in it... Hell-o? Yet none of us thought his needing two jobs was unusual.

Running my own business has toughened me up on money issues somewhat. I had bought in too long to the great myth of arts administration: whilst hundreds of thousands of pounds may be spent on the project, let the people administrating it do it for love and be thankful.

Brothers and sisters, I think it is time to rise up for better pay… No? Well at least have a few temper tantrums…