If It’s Public Money, Why Aren’t Artists Being Paid?

Although this article is based on a British study, it does make one wonder if the numbers exhibited by this study reflect similar numbers here in the U.S.

Needless to say, this is also an epidemic here in the U.S. and one of growing concern for artists and cultural producers. Especially if these public entities are being publicly funded, why aren’t writers, curators, heck, cultural producers that provide any kind of service to nonprofits being compensated?

I lost count of the times that I was asked to present a talk or participate on a panel free-of-charge, and many times by for-profit galleries and entities. I do it on a case-by-case basis, but I can say that unless the organization is non-profit and/or I’m being asked by a good friend of mine or peer, the answer now is usually “no!” And that’s the way it should be.

Here’s the study, in The Guardian.

Tags: art, art spaces, compensating artists, nonpayment, nonprofits, public funding for art, speaker fees