Feb 28

Do You Really Expect To Get Paid?

Running this blog has been an interesting experience. We always feel like we’re at war with ourselves and our music business theories. One blog says “do or die”, the next says “go with the flow”. Another blog says you should give away music for free, and the next says you should demand payment!  What is it!?  Ha! We don’t know! But we strongly believe that living a life of music is just as much of an art as performing itself. An art of balance. Anyhow…we appreciate your thoughts as always and they bring more value to each post.

Today’s post revisits the money issue. For those of you who follow us on twitter, we’re watching you! (hehe) And we like to read your thoughts, challenges and frustrations. This particular post was prompted by an email sent to me by a reader, and a tweet by jazz vocalist JD Green (used with permission):

“Who am I to think I should be paid a living wage, doing a job that I enjoy, & that fills me w/ joy and dignity”

So what’s the deal!? I got to visit an 8th grade class last Friday to talk about what its like to live as a performer. Sometimes (until opportunities like this) I forget how much time and money is put into the maths and sciences, and how little time and money is put into the arts.  And when I realize how little respect is given to the arts, I get frustrated. I talked with the students about how words are art b/c they paint pictures, dance is art because it gives movement to sound, and that buildings are art, because it takes a creative mind to envision how something can not only contain people, but add character to a skyline or city block. And of course, we talked about music.

And then I came across this article a few months back that I’ve been waiting to reference. Its a 24-page research study called “Artist Career: An economic study of professional artists in Australia  &  A census analysis of arts employment in Australia” published by the Australian Government and Australia Council for the Arts.  If you get a chance, read it through. Here’s what caught our eye:

“One third (33%) of artists put their artistic skills to use in other industries, whether they’re novelists who are also editors, actors who run corporate training, visual artists who design websites, or dancers who are also Pilates instructors…It is, however, an important priority for the Australia Council to build the sustainability of an artist’s chosen career.”

I’m fairly certain that number is higher (much higher) than 33% here in the United States. According to JD, her tweet (the first quote above) is sarcastic frustration. But both quotes beg the question: Why doesn’t our society feel it is important to pay artists so that they can sustain themselves by this viable profession? Unfortunately, I don’t have a solution to this problem. I couldn’t fix it even if I wanted because I don’t have the money. I’m the one asking!  But here are a few things we as artists can do:

  1. Take yourself seriously because when you do, others will too.
  2. If you’re charging any given amount for a service, make sure your performance is worth it.
  3. Are we (are you, am I) treating my profession as seriously as other individuals in more traditional professions? Refer to #1.

 

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p.s. I also did a quick search to see if the United States government has any similar research or reports on the state of the arts but couldnt find anything. Let me know if you come across anything.

 


grassrootsy   |  Making Money, Uncategorized   |  02 28th, 2011    | 
  • http://www.facebook.com/natureairliner Laurier Tiernan

    It’s amazing how much you seem to read my mind on a regular basis, not only by posting things that are relevant to my life, but by regularly posting about things that happen to be especially preoccupying my thoughts RIGHT THAT VERY MINUTE, or at least day.

    I’m a professional Canadian musician living in Tokyo, and I also do model work and voice talent, because the Japanese indie scene is largely pay-to-play and I don’t play that game. Also, I have come to realize lately that I probably could have been living fully off of the music if I had started “1. Taking myself seriously so that others will as well”, a long time ago. It is still possible now, of course, as I am still alive, so I am grateful to be waking up to my situation, and to my power.

    Thank you for writing this blog. I’m grateful to have it’s regular coaching as I reach and work towards my ideal life.

  • http://facebook.com/jimpearsonmusic Jim Pearson

    I am about to “release” my third album and I am constantly questioning why I bother. The only person that gets satisfaction is me. I enjoy “finishing” a collection of songs and have them appear on iTunes, Amazon etc. but I rarely sell anything… to be honest, if anyone ever downloads a song for free, I consider that a “sale”. The only people that are interested in my music is other musicians and artists. It is very difficult get even close friends interested.

    But none of that matters to me… it’s my music. I am proud of it – whatever anyone else thinks. I am one of those that work in a creative industry (graphic designer) and occassionally I have had the chance to produce music… for money, but my experience was always soured by the fact that I had to let people in to my private and personal world, to express their unwanted opinions… it made me feel dirty, and not in a good way. This has made me think that perhaps I am simply not cut out for anything other than self satisfaction, self expression…

  • http://www.bridgetteperdue.com Bridgette Perdue

    I definitely think the key lies in #1. I went to the Lady Gaga concert this past weekend and pay a HAAARRRRD earned $200 for my seat. I got back an amazing performance. She’s danced and sang (not lipsyched) the entire 90minute show, with about 7 costumes changes and in 5 inch heels. Ok, I got my money’s worth.

    I bought the ticket because I believe it would be worth it. Gaga convinces us she’s worth it, her whole persona, her confidence, her outlandish ways, her gimmick-ness, says it all.

    I truly believe in #1. Act like you’re worth it and ppl will think so, too.

    The main reason I think artist are misrepresented in the US. is because we have let it happen to ourselves. We as a group have told the non-artistic society, we’re too pure in art (or, pure in heart) to be paid. You tell people how you want to be treated. I think we as artist have sat down and allowed what we do to be seen as less than.

    I am all for the musician middleclass. I look forward to a day when I say, yes I’m a full-tiem musician, that people don’t think I have a “day gig” to support myself. My art has value enough to pay my mortgage and then some.

    …Working on it, gotta long way to go. I’ve officially stepped down from my soap box.

    Thanks for blogging, gR, and thanks for reading, errrboday else!!! :)

  • Joseph Kelly

    Gosh, the age old paradox ~ or is it? Artists are so often idealistic and enjoy doing what we do so much that we can become mindless of both what it takes us to do what we do (in time & costs) and how that parallels our real life needs. If we are mindful of our outgo, perhaps we’ll take more seriously our income. Yet, too often many artists (in the broad sense), support themselves with a day job often unrelated to the arts. No disrespect, but for some it creates a false sense that one is an artist (profession-wise) even though ones living is not mined from the arts. There’s a difference between being artistic and creative, and “being” an artist. Part of that is what makes it harder for those of us who actually do the arts full time. If ones income is external, one is less likely to care if ones art pays.

    I put equal value on my craft to that of what others do in other professions. When I run into a person who wants to hire me, but doesn’t want to pay my rate (which is very modest), I try to get them to understand what it takes in hours, skill and equipment to accomplish their task. If I can give them an estimate of the mere hours involved, I’ll ask them “What do you make at your job for a similar hourly amount of labor?” – This does 2 things, 1] it makes them consider the value of the work, in nuts-and-bolts terms, and 2] it makes them consider my value as an artist/human-being in comparison to their own human value. – - The result is either they “get it” and we work out an amicable arrangement for the work, or they realize the reality of what they “think” they want, and that they cannot, or are not willing to afford me. – Either one is okay – and hopefully they will have learned something.

    We must not devalue what we do because of our warm and fuzzy idealism. Why? Mainly because it paints ALL true artists in a lesser light through our personal carelessness. No human can go through a day without encountering creativity and/or its results. While it’s value may be hard to quantify sometimes, we need to make a steady effort – for ourselves and for each other.

    - – The culture we live in has everyone saturated with what seems to be instant arts, most people who are art consumers have little concept of what it takes to generate real art, nor can they tell the difference between 30 secs of a highly trained concert pianist and a 30 sec cut-&-paste GarageBand loop. It’s up to us to calculate our worth and educate those that would pay for our services.

    Many of us in the indie world seem to forget that there is a vast living, breathing, viable and self-sustaining industry filled with professionals that make fair livings from their crafts. As indies we center too much on our off-the-beaten-path methodologies. The greater industry pays its artists. If the indie community pays each other for what we co-labor together for, maybe we’ll weed out the users and takers and invest in the ones that are in the arts as a profession and for the duration.

    You are worth more than an album credit and a copy of the CD…. aren’t you?

  • http://craigallen.me Craig Allen

    This is timely for me, too. The comments have definitely added a lot of value so thanks to everyone who contributed to the conversation. I have been guilty of falling into this trap, not only with music but also web design/development. Partly, it’s because that people expect “artists” to do things for free (or really cheap if I’m lucky), but I agree it’s up to us to change the paradigm.

    Great stuff!

  • http://www.leregalla.com Leanne Regalla

    Great points all, and some things I’m really passionate about here.
    1. Is a must. Make the shift in your mind to be a pro, make sure your work follows the same standard, and that’s how you will be treated.
    2. Absolutely! So important in today’s environment, this is one thing that can really make you stand out. Get pro help with this. And at the very least – please, please – if you have to get drunk or wasted do it on your time, not your audiences’. You ain’t as good as you think you are! :P
    3. Many musicians don’t, unfortunately. But they may not be serious about a career. I’ve spent years in other professions, and in business ownership – music is a 2nd career for me – and bringing that professionalism in has helped me tremendously in music.

    Have you seen this article? Lots of good stuff in here.
    http://diymusician.cdbaby.com/2011/01/dont-quit-your-second-day-job/

  • http://reverbnation/stretcherbearer.com Stretcher Bearer

    I agree with jim pearson… I just released my second album, my first sold some digital downloads, and some copies that my family bought, but 1 the first one I sold was to a gentleman in Denmark.. and That was worth it, to See that somebody in a place I’ve never been, like my stuff enough to by my cd was very satisfying.. I don’t play live, so that’s one promo mark against me, and I rarely put the effort behind promo that I should, But i wouldn’t trade what I do for anything and the idea of what i do becoming a Job is one reason i’ve avoided trying to “Make it”, but I’ve met really cool people, tons of artists around the world, and even though our society puts such a weird abstract lable success=Money I’d rather be broke and doing what i love, that hating what i do and feeling set adrift..and it’s the only real skill i have…LOL

  • http://www.alexbrubakerguitar.com Alex Brubaker

    In an ideal world, we would all be able to make a career of our music (if that is what we wanted). While that is possible, I feel like the possibility is on the decline.

    There are simply too many people trying to do just that, mixed with too many people who do music as a hobby. In today’s digital age, you can put out a completely self produced album from your home …and so can everyone else. Unfortunately the general public won’t notice the subtle nuances in your music that you think sets it apart from the next guy. Consequently, when it comes down to your album on itunes for $10 or the novice album put out by the kid down the street from his bedroom, you’ll lose sales – not because his music is better, but because there are so many like him that it drowns out what you’ve got.

    I think it is a great thing to aspire to – making a living off of your music. Unfortunately, you can no longer get by on good music alone. To an extent there is still word of mouth, but to a further extent there are people. When everyone is a potential fan, you need to be able to reach out to make an impression on someone that will last through the onslaught of other media that we are all bombarded with on a daily basis.

    If you can make those fan connections, present your music with confidence, and make people feel when they hear and see you, then you have the potential to make a living off of what you’ve got.

    Ownership of media is a thing of the past. The only way that you can start to make people want to actually own your music is by making connections with them.

    Unfortunately, I have no actual authority in saying this. While I will continue to make music and perform, I’m an engineering student and will make a living with that. Do I have the potential to make it w/music? Definitely, but before you can convince others of that, it won’t happen.

  • http://www.thekonspiracyth3ory.com Gil Konspiracy

    “Ownership of media is a thing of the past. The only way that you can start to make people want to actually own your music is by making connections with them.”

    True but I would disagree on the ‘OWNERSHIP’ part.

    People will spend on what they feel is worth it.

    If you’re too busy or lack the knowledge on how to promote yourself, hire a manager, pr agent & or a publicist. Or better yet, all 3!
    There are very few bands/musicians that see success without the help of others.

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