Who pays the piper now?
“The pandemic has exposed rifts between arts organisations and freelance musicians. We need to recast the relationship for everyone to thrive.”
MEDIA FEATURE: Limelight Magazine
Limelight Magazine has published an article I wrote that describes what the pandemic has informed us about the relationship between freelance artists and arts organisations, and suggests what we can do to ensure that the arts emerge successfully.
… In 1983 British satirist Richard Stilgoe penned the above words, exploring the changing ways that artists have been paid. If you ask a freelance artist the question ‘who pays the piper now?’, there is a good chance the answer will be ‘no one’. The pandemic has brought us to a precipice – whilst much has (correctly) been written of government’s responsibility to the sector, it is also true that relationships between arts organisations and freelancers have become increasingly fragmented, as the vulnerability of freelance artists has been exposed. Change is needed: Arts organisations must become better informed of the practices and challenges of freelance artists and prioritise them accordingly. If we do this, we ensure that our collective creative potential is sustained post-pandemic. …