When researching the professional development needs of artists, we found frustration with the lack of career preparation in BFA and MFA programs.

Many of us graduated from arts programs without any real knowledge of our industry, such as: insider vocabulary, infrastructure, operations, power structure, salary norms, contract norms, historical/current trends, non-craft skill sets, etc.

“Institutions left me in the dark, in terms of the business side of things. I have worked with a lot of professional dance companies at this point, so I know what they didn’t teach me.” – Dancer, NYC

“Training institutions are not serving the artist at all…they come out really ignorant…this can be rectified by changing requirements. The only focus at BFA programs is arts training. Post grad gives you more, but who has time for that? In my experience, a lot of artists have to learn through trial and error, not formal education in business.” –Arts Administrator, Atlanta

“The schools think artists are set up NOT to survive and they assume that we won’t make money doing what we do…and if you do…that somehow means you sold out - KILL that CONVERSATION!!” –Anonymous Survey Respondent

The majority of the artists we surveyed/interviewed voiced similar opinions of art school programs:

* 53.5% of respondents were unsatisfied with their schools career preparation efforts,
* 33.8% were satisfied,
* and 12.7% were undecided.

Although many schools offer art administration degrees for those interested in an arts management career, they do not offer business courses to those training to have an arts career. In fact, only 50.5% of respondents said their school provided any business or industry education at all.

Based on these results, we assumed that BFA/MFA programs would be motivated to improve this perception by implementing career development services and programs, however, sources imply that universities and colleges have a long history of resistance around educating artists in “the business.” The philosophy is that art should be taught for art’s sake.

Many artist advocates take issue with this lack of pragmatic education. They say it is hypocritical and irresponsible for US universities and colleges to take large sums of tuition money (est. $3 -$10 billion in 2005, according to National Center for Education Statistics and Real Dollars for Education data) from students who are not properly prepared to make a return on their investment.

“I just wrote a whole chapter for my next book around the issue of the rising cost of arts education. I think its ridiculous the amount of money students have to spend.” – Arts Advocate, Artist Consultant & Author

Almost half of the survey respondents (49.1%) reported spending more than $50,000 for their education. Alternative research estimated that art students are spending between $40,000 and $100,000 on their education. This is a significant amount of money for students who graduate to make an average annual salary of $20,000-$40,000; especially when accounting for interest on student loans that can double the cost.

“It’s a shame that (…) doesn’t have a real business class for artists. I have always found it worrisome that students came out with $100k in debt to be actors.” – Former Theater Studies Professor

“What isn’t good, is the huge burden of debt that you come out of (…) with to be an artist…just having to make the monthly payment on those loans limits your working flexibility.” – Musician & Actor, Los Angeles

Although it was encouraging to learn that a significant portion of survey respondents support themselves solely through their art (with 58.3% reporting some revenue from artistic projects and 32% reporting significant revenue), the majority of respondents made less than 50% of their income from the arts.

How would we judge other schools of learning within the higher education system, if the majority of their graduates made less than 50% of their income in their field?

We investigated the position of educational institutions on career preparation and found the following:

• Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) encourage art schools to focus on “creating progressive, national and international conversations about art and its importance to American culture….as a necessary component of the development of complete human beings and a society that values the human spirit.”
• The national associations of art schools (NAST, NASD, NASM, and NASAD) believe employment depends almost entirely on demonstrated competence, which is achieved through an education designed to develop talent, inspiration, creativity, artistic skill, historical awareness, and technique.
• NAST states the primary purpose of theater schools is to help individual students turn talent, inspiration, creativity, and dedication into significant potential for service to the development of theatre culture in its multiple dimensions.

Of course this is all true and IMPORTANT, but we found little to no discussion about educating artists in ways to develop and manage the resources necessary for participating in the multiple dimensions of art culture (i.e. a living wage).

“My understanding is that in an effort to keep students uninfluenced by the market or industry, the school was not focused on giving us career tools. As a result, all my peers gave up on their practice, because they felt as if there was no financial, intellectual, or communal support after leaving the school system” – Anonymous Survey Respondent

“This (career education) should have been offered as part of my expensive schooling” – Anonymous Survey Respondent

To be fair, there is an increasing number of arts administrators working through the bureaucratic maze to meet these needs by improving internship programs, hosting expert panel discussions, posting more relevant job notices, and organizing events for students to introduce their work to industry insiders.

For example, The Julliard School has an Office of Career Development that provides essential services needed to assist students in developing long-term career plans such as: career guidance, self-assessment tools, résumé/curriculum vitae/press kit development, career workshops, marketing, graphic image design, web page design, project development, fundraising, internship opportunities, and performance opportunities.

Also, we found some advocates of the traditional educational structure.

“Business is something to be learned apart from studies and studio arts education. Its best learned through internships, assisting positions and other jobs.” – Anonymous Survey Respondent

“(….) helped to instill a confidence in my ability to create and perform quality art, because in the real world you don’t get the opportunity to test yourself that often…the opportunities are few and far between to do “good” art or challenging art. They also prepared me by giving me a place to be around other students and people trying to make it and alumni that have made it…so the networking was a huge asset.” – Musician & Actor, Los Angeles

“On the other hand, if you come out with good artistic skills and the (….) reputation, it could get you in the audition room…the artist needs to take it from there. More and more (….) folks (alumni) are appearing in the industry….I see former students on commercials all the time. I enjoy watching them make it, plus going to (…) does give you a sturdy liberal arts background to fall back on. They do provide internships, which is a good way to get practical knowledge. You are getting a college education that will be competitive in other areas of the work place.” – Former Theater Studies Professor

However, the overall sentiment is that arts programs have fallen short in career preparation for students.

So, how can they improve?

Survey respondents gave us a few suggestions:

* Provide industry information/resources
* Teach small business and entrepreneurship concepts
* Adjust the elitist attitude
* Encourage participation in “real world” industry activities.
* Teach the vocabulary of the industry
* Explain how the industry works
* Provide some real statistics on working artists and the competitive environment.
* Identify broader career options
* Provide panel discussions with professional artists
* Provide networking opportunities
* Assist with job placement
* Eliminate the myth of “getting discovered”
* Provide classes on “coping” skills
* Offer one-on-one customized counseling
* Inform students of industry news and trends
* Offer continuing education

Fractured Atlas is participating in a growing effort among arts organizations to fill the gap. We are designing our professional development program to be a resource for artists and arts managers who need information about how to effectively function in art industries. We hope to provide answers to your questions through Fractured U.’s online courses and guidance through our developing network of consultants. We are committed to helping you navigate the business requirements of working in the arts.

For more information about the emerging professional development program at Fractured Atlas, please contact kamal.sinclair@fracturedatlas.org.

Consultants report that the hardest part of helping artists and arts managers create a strategic plan is getting them to answer the questions: ‘Who are you?’ and ‘What do you do?’

Why is that? Why can’t we tell our audiences, patrons, customers, funders, or collaborators who we are in five sentences or less? Because we are complex, creative, multi-skilled people that have frequent transformative experiences.

“If I am so expansive and mutable, why do I have to define myself in such limited terms?” Because people who don’t know you will only give you a five sentence opportunity to explain yourself; before they turn their attention to the next headshot in the pile, the next poster on the wall, the next proposal on their desk, the next email in their inbox, or the next artist in the gallery. Also, if you don’t create a brief description of yourself and clearly communicate it, others will do it for you. Finally, knowing who you are in simple terms is the key to obtaining meaningful success.

Ironically, it takes a lot of reflection and research before being able to condense yourself to five sentences or less. You will probably fill notebooks trying to discover the core or your creative identity. Well, here are some steps to guide you through this process.

STEP 1 - Answer the following question without a filter and with complete honesty:

• What is your purpose?
• What do you do?
• What do you want to do?
• Where do you want to be in the future?
• What are your core values?

STEP 2 – Now you probably have a pretty hefty list of words, sentences, concepts, images, icons, graphs, doodles, etc. So, let’s whittle it down by getting really honest. Ask yourself:

• Which of these things really motivates you?
• Which of these things give you energy?
• Which of these things take your energy?
• Is anything on the list something you are “supposed” to want or do?

Answering these questions is really important, because sometimes we invest time/resources into things we don’t actually want. Sometimes the goal is not even consistent with who we are.

For example, let’s say you wrote on your list: “I want to act in a film.” Do you really want to be an actor? Maybe you b*tched and moaned in high school about wanting to go into acting, so your parents took out a second mortgage to send you to a big NYC theatre school. Somewhere in the back of your subconscious you discovered you didn’t like acting after your first semester, but felt so obligated to get some return on your parent’s investment that you finished a four year program and spent three years waiting tables trying to “make it” as an actor. The problem is you really want to paint. Your lack of motivation for acting is clear to the casting directors, so you never book a gig.

“Sunk costs” are very difficult to accept in life. However, if we are not honest with ourselves the “sunk costs” and the “opportunity costs” will increase. I had to attend an organizational management class in business school to learn that creativity and innovation require a willingness to fail and a willingness to scrap what doesn’t work. In fact, it is not a failure but a part of discovery.

Over the summer, I did a strategy analysis on Pixar and learned about their practice of “killing their babies.” Meaning, creators must be willing to divest a project completely if it is not working regardless of the time and resources invested. This philosophy has allowed Pixar to experience phoenix-like emergence from the ashes of disappointments.

The founding team members (Steve Jobs, Ed Catmull, and Alvy Ray Smith) were experiencing stagnation and setbacks in their careers when Pixar was formed and suffered $50 million losses during the first decade. They “killed their baby” in decade two, by abandoning the business model of selling computer hardware tailored to animators and became animators. This willingness to change direction led to a redefinition of the animated feature film industry, record breaking box office sales, $7.4 billion buy-out from Disney, and a significant spot in film history.

Honor yourself, do what motivates you and what works.

STEP 3 – Once you have eliminated the energy-depleting and “should” items from your list, you are ready to look beyond your needs. Unless you are a “masturbatory” artist (which is perfectly fine if that is your thing), I encourage you to consider your audience. Ask yourself:

• What tangible things do you offer your audience, patron, customers, etc.?
• What intangible things do you offer?
• What value do you create for your audience?
• Are you communicating in a way that your audience understands?

I do not advocate creating your work to meet perceived expectations of your patrons or audiences; that is usually a recipe for bad art. I encourage you to authentically create and find audiences where your work resonates. Also, if audiences don’t “get it,” you can cultivate their appreciation by clearly and concisely describing your work’s value.

Recently, I attended a gallery talk at the High Museum in Atlanta, where an artist spent over an hour discussing his work and his creative process with a group of 30+ patrons. Afterwards, I heard a patron comment on how glad she was that she came to the talk, because she didn’t “get it” before. The artist helped her acquire an understanding and love for his work by explaining the political statements, describing the hard work of the creative process, and sharing his personal story.

STEP 4 – Once you have a list of things you truly want to offer and have determined which offerings attract audiences, I encourage you to assess you resources and capabilities. For each creative offering on your list, ask these questions:

• What resources and capabilities do I need to make this offering?
• If I do not have the resource or capability, can I acquire it?
• If I can acquire it, how much will it cost? Monetary costs? Non-monetary costs?
• What will be the return on my investment of time, energy and resources? Monetary? Non-monetary?

After doing this assessment, you can see if there is anything you want to eliminate from the list. Perhaps you decide to focus on the low hanging fruit and tackle the more difficult projects as your resources increase and capabilities develop. Perhaps you decide to go for the projects with a better financial or emotional return. You will probably discover that your revised list is more focused, realistic, actionable, and likely to result in success.

STEP 5 – Create the following statements:

• A description of your creative offering (What do you do or make?)
• A vision statement (Where do you see yourself in the future?)
• A mission statement (What is the purpose of your work?)
• A values statement (What do you stand for?)
• A value proposition (What benefit do you give to others?)

*Try to keep your statements to five sentences or less.

For more information on this first phase of the strategic planning process, check out our online course: “Professional Identity: Demystified.” Just click on “Programs & Services” on the Fractured Atlas home page and select “online courses.”

Currently, we are in the process of reviewing course proposals submitted by numerous experts in the field of art and business in order to expand Fractured U.’s offering. For more information contact me at kamal.sinclair@fracturedatlas.org.

“…the process itself is more important than the plan.”

- Jeffery Timmons, New Venture Creation

One of the key objectives for our professional development program is to help artists achieve success through manageable, persistent, strategic and consistent action; without sacrificing their spirit. Basically, we want to help you learn how to design a strategic plan for your career or organization and encourage you to implement it effectively.

WHY?

Without directions the journey seems overwhelmingly long and impossibly difficult, but with directions the journey seems realistic and achievable. Research shows, the very process of designing a strategic plan for your business is highly motivating. It puts you in charge of shaping your future, evaluating your choices, and initiating fruitful actions. The plan gives you a clear path to your long-term goals that is paved with actionable short-term goals.

Additionally, a strategic plan helps you manage risks and uncertainty, work smarter not harder, test your thinking, achieve results, manage stress, and understand the costs and benefits (both monetary and non-monetary). Also, you can temper impulsive hunches with a thoroughly researched understanding of consequences, make educated decisions, and limit trial by error. It helps you say “no” to distracting opportunities that often slow or halt progress. And if you decide to say “yes” to non-strategic expenses of your time, energy, and resources; you can do so with a clear understanding of the opportunity cost…of what you are sacrificing.

“Medèn ágan”

- Ancient Greek maxim (written in Latin)

This ancient Greek saying, carved on the pediment of the temple of Apollo at Delphi in Greece, literally translates into “Nothing in excess.” I caution any artist or arts manager to take heed when engaged in the strategic planning process. A plan is NOT A RIGID DOCUMENT; it is only a point of departure that MUST ADJUST as you attend to the unknown obstacles and opportunities that will inevitably emerge on your journey.

Common pitfalls in strategic planning involve letting the plan become:

• a source of tension
• an unhealthy list of “shoulds”
• an unrealistic thing that heightens your fear of failure
• a barrier to integrating unexpected opportunities
• fuel for your competitive nature
• an excuse for quitting when things take longer than projected.

The journey from idea to high potential opportunity requires navigating an undulating, constantly changing, three-dimensional relief map while inventing the vehicle and road map along the way.

-Jeffery Timmons, New Venture Creation

Again, you must accept that the plan (as written) will likely fail, because these fast paced times make it obsolete as soon as it comes off the printer. However, you can succeed if you take the time to go through the planning process:

• understand your goals
• clarify your creative offering
• understand your industry infrastructure
• understand your audience
• assess your resources and capabilities
• use the research and analysis to thoughtfully design your path. (What is your marketing strategy, operations strategy, financial strategy, entrance/exit strategy, development plan, etc.?)

A strategic plan will get you started, be a tool to measure progress/opportunities, and act as a battle plan for mitigating risk and overcoming obstacles. Just be sure to adjust the plan as needed.

Finally, taking the time to do a strategic plan is an investment in sustaining a lifelong passion, rather than a short-term fling, with the arts.

Fractured U. will be offering online courses in strategic planning and many related subjects. However, if you need any assistance prior to the Fractured U. launch, please feel free to contact me at kamal.sinclair@fracturedatlas.org.

Recently, I’ve been conducting interviews with mid-career artists to locate some consistent practices that have worked for career advancement and business development in the arts. Interestingly, negotiation continues to surface as a critical skill and unfortunate pitfall.

“Artists have to learn business, because they are constantly negotiating…you are constantly negotiating with business people…it’s harder for artists, because we need the money… Also, don’t argue….negotiate…don’t blow an opportunity on emotion…” – Visual Artist and Arts Professor, Atlanta

As previously stated, many of the artists we surveyed and interviewed expressed feelings of being inept at (or resistant to) learning business skills like negotiation. However, negotiation is a requirement of living in a socially interdependent world that none of us can escape.
“Negotiation is an interpersonal decision making process necessary whenever we cannot achieve our objectives single-handedly.” - The Mind and Heart of the Negotiator, by Leigh Thompson

The question is not: “Do I want to negotiate?” Or “Do I have to negotiate?”
The question is: “Can you effectively negotiate?”

I, also, have been resistant to (or intimidated by) the concept of negotiation, because I associated the word with the stereotypical car sales man who tries to manipulate you into a crappy finance deal for a lemon disguised as an automobile. You can imagine my surprise when I took a negotiation class last spring and discovered that negotiation is more effective when the parties involved try to:

· find solutions that fairly meet each other’s needs,

· to create value for both parties (1+1=3),

· and to build trust.

“Effective negotiation is not just about money – it is equally about relationships and trust.” – The Mind and Heart of the Negotiator by Leigh Thompson

I was under the assumption that negotiation was about fighting over who gets the bigger slice of the last pie on earth. I never considered that it could be about finding ways to make the pie bigger or make multiple pies. Also, I assumed that all negotiating parties wanted pie. I never considered that one party might not even like pie. That they might prefer to trade their slice of pie for the chocolate cake that makes the other party break out in hives.

In fact, researchers have found that negotiating parties rarely want the exact same thing. Most negotiations involve parties with at least some asymmetrical or complementary needs.

Fictitious example:

An emerging rock band (Young Bucks) with a strong grassroots following and a well-established music venue (Giant Stage) are negotiating the terms of a booking agreement.

A week ago, Young Bucks were approached by a major label (Big Guy Records) about opening up for a major celebrity (Bon No) on an international tour. However, Young Bucks have never played a large audience. Before booking the tour, executives at Big Guy Records want to see how well Young Bucks can perform in a large venue. Other then the Giant Stage concert, the only other opportunity Young Bucks have to play a large venue is at a new venue opening up across town (The Comp). Although The Comp is offering good money, they would have to wait a few months for construction to finish and risk losing the interest of Big Guy Records. Also, Young Bucks are aware of another emerging band (Ambitious) that wants their time slot at the Giant Stage concert.

Meanwhile, Giant Stage is going through some cash flow issues due to poor investment decisions by management. Although they have a reputation for paying bands a little over industry standard; they’re too cash strapped to pay their normal rate. Also, they are concerned about competition from The Comp. Giant Stage needs to protect their reputation as the leading edge presenter of “hot” new talent and there is industry buzz that Young Bucks’ could be the next Jonas Brothers. If they don’t book Young Bucks, they might sign a year-long booking agreement with The Comp.

Entering the negotiations, neither party is aware of the other party’s interests. Giant Stage assumes the negotiations will be about the pay rate. Young Bucks assume they have to fight for their time slot. Young Bucks enters the negotiation with “guns slinging.” They talk up the offer from The Comp, in order to indicate their value so Giant Stage will give them the time slot. Giant Stage interprets this to mean that Young Bucks wants them to beat The Comp’s pay rate, which Giant Stage can’t afford to do.

Unfortunately, no deal is reached.

When negotiating parties do not communicate their needs properly, then false assumptions, information hording, and misplaced suspicion cause them to “leave money on the table.” According to my professor, experts calculate that approximately 20% of negotiations end in a lose-lose situation, where resources are left unclaimed by either party.

“Understanding your counterpart’s interests and shaping the decision so the other side agrees for its own reasons is the key to jointly creating and claiming sustainable value from a negotiation.” - Six Habits of Merely Effective Negotiators, by James K. Sebenius; Harvard Business Review

Good negotiations result in a situation where all parties:

· make trades (not compromises),

· walk away with what they need (not just an even split),

· feel good about the deal,

· and maintain a good relationship for future exchanges.

In the light of this definition of negotiation and the ethical/fair practices it requires, I was able to overcome my resistance to learning about how to become an effective negotiator.

Currently, Fractured Atlas is in the process of developing infrastructure and course content for Fractured U., an online business training center for artists and arts manager. When the full fledge program is launched, we hope you take advantage of the opportunity to learn from industry experts and sharpen your business skills. Not to become a hardened sales person, but to avoid some of the pitfalls other artists and arts managers have suffered in the past. We don’t want you to “leave opportunity on the table.”

The majority of respondents to our March 2008 survey agree, business is a necessary and mandatory part of any artistic career. However, many of our respondents also expressed some resistance to actively learning business concepts and skills. Here is a summary of the comments:

• Business skills are counter-intuitive for artists
• Directly selling your art erodes humility, goodness, or purity
• Artists are not passionate about or motivated by business
• Artists are intimidated by business
• Artists are suspicious of “business” people
• Business has nothing to do with art
• Business takes time away from creating art
• Talent, not business skills, will lead to success
• Fear of expensive scams targeted at artists

I use to have (and still do have) some of these concerns and perspectives. However, thirteen years of working as a professional artists and arts manager has helped me to understand that:

• money is a resource that enables artists to fulfill their vital role in the advancement of society;
• artists add tremendous value to society and should justly receive a fair return for their contribution;
• the romance of the “starving artist” is not that romantic in reality;
• and society loses the benefit of many talented artists and their important perspectives, due to a lack of support and a lack of education in the arena of business.

In fact, many of the consultants we interviewed reported that their clients were so disempowered by a lack of education in business that they bid down the value of their art un-necessarily, which actually helps perpetuate the “myth” of the starving artists. Some consultants claimed to dramatically improve their client’s income, by telling them to up their price and feel confident about it.

“Business know-how is my primary deficiency… because of it… I missed a lot of opportunities. I need to know how to market, negotiate, and strategize for the long term….NEGOTIATION!!! I have struggles with setting a fair price for my work. How do I ‘sell myself’? I don’t know what to ask for… I don’t know how to read a contract. Sometimes I feel like I am signing my life away …I don’t know what to ask for because there is no distribution of information on what is industry standard…I don’t know how to set boundaries. Artist need benchmarks to determine value….principals to navigate these issues. It’s hard to be a dissenter in a community of yes men. I feel the eagerness of the yes men brings the value down for everyone.” – Dancer, New York

Personally, I had a huge wake-up call around the concept of fair valuation back when I was a cast member of STOMP. I was 19 years old when I booked the gig. I had no debt and no real financial responsibilities. It was my very first job and my very first paycheck ($400per week with no benefits). I was on cloud nine…my dreams had come true…I was a bona fide professional NYC artist.

You can imagine my surprise when a fellow cast member organized a strike; just days before we were scheduled to start two simultaneous national tours. He claimed the producers were being unfair, because they were not providing health insurance. My internal monologue went something like this:

“What, are you CRAZY?!!!….Why the h*ll would we strike?…This is the best job ever…We were lucky to get the gig at all…Don’t you know how many people would kill to get this gig?…I would do this gig for free if they asked.”

I was scared to lose the job, but every other cast member decided to back the strike. So, I soon found myself sitting in a Kinko’s video conferencing room, where we gathered to negotiate terms with the executive producer (who happened to be out of town). I sat in the back of the group, frightened and cringing as the executive producer’s face reddened and his temper flared. But guess what? WE GOT OUR HEALTH INSURANCE!!!

Let’s consider this in terms of fair valuation:

Gross Revenue - During my nearly six years with the show (1995-2001), I saw a “h*ll of a lot of money” walk into the theater. We had three casts; each cast performed 8 shows per week (year round); each show sold 350 to 3,000 tickets (depending on the house size); each ticket was between $40-$75 per ticket. Do the math. That’s a lot of gross revenue!

Costs - The producers broke even on their initial investment within the first six months (and the shows been running for 14 years now). The ongoing costs were minuscule next to our Broadway competition. We had junk for a set, thrift store clothes for costumes, and a small “no-name-low-salary” cast, yet we played the same houses as Broadway shows on tour.

Net Profit – Record breaking!!! STOMP is one of the most profitable shows ever produced Off-Broadway.

Do you think we deserved health insurance in the light of the tremendous value we added to the organization? Especially, when the show and tour schedule was sooooo physically demanding? At the time I wanted to curse my fellow cast member for “rocking the boat.” In hind sight, I admire him for having the guts to demand his worth.

To be clear, I am grateful to the producers and directors for giving me the opportunity to perform with the show, so this is not meant to be disrespectful. To be fair, I have no hard figures on the producers’ profit & loss or cost of operations; and this simplified analysis does not account for any risk factor.

Also, the perks evolved as the producers learned that a happy cast was cheaper than an unhappy cast (fewer turnovers, less workers comp claims, no more strikes). They started to provide weekly massages, regular chiropractic services, “fancy” dinners, catering backstage, and a lot of fun excursions. My salary peaked at $50,000 (per year), before I left to start a non-profit theater company. My corporate brethren have expressed surprise at my peak annual salary; they expected it to be much higher. However, as a young twenty-something with no real financial responsibilities, I felt pretty satisfied.

From a broader perspective, I believe that encouraging artists to think entrepreneurially, to utilize some basic small business practices, and to fairly value their work will assist in the broader mission of improving the quality, diversity and distribution of art in this country. A growing mass of artists empowered with the skills and resources to plan, launch, and manage their careers/businesses effectively could have a significant influence on how America values art. The more artists learn to fairly value their work, the more our communities will learn to value it as well.

Arts advocates, educators and politicians have called for better arts funding by arguing that the arts help to: improve the quality of our educational system; decrease crime rates; and improve the overall quality of the average American lifestyle. This fight must take place on a political level, but it also needs to take place at the grassroots. While our advocates are fighting for us in Washington, we need to fight for ourselves by creating value and demanding a fair return. In summary, we must be confident in our worth.

“As a photographer, I am actually a small business owner as much as I am an artist.” – Anonymous Survey Respondent

In our quest to better understand the professional development needs of artists, we went beyond the survey/interviews and researched various external sources to find out what artists, arts managers, and industry experts were saying about career and business development in the “new economy.”

As we have all witnessed, the world has been “re-created” by the exponential growth of the web and technology. The Internet has fundamentally changed how we conduct business, socialize, and manage our lives. Rapid advancement and exponential increases in global communication have created an entirely new competitive environment for most industries. Older companies are restructuring to remain competitive and newer companies are emerging to meet the unprecedented demands of the “information age” customer. The cost of producing and distributing products and services has decreased so dramatically in some industries that traditional supply chains have shorten or rerouted through new intermediaries. Artists and arts organizations have not escaped these changes.

Traditionally, artists were tasked with developing their craft, then “auditioning” or “presenting” for an intermediary such as a film studio, theater company, record label or gallery. The intermediary would often invest in the continued development of the artist’s work, prepare it for the marketplace, expose it to an audience and sell it for a profit. The same model persists in the not-for-profit arts sector, except that raw talent is cultivated by organizations that received philanthropic funding or government support. Regardless of whether the middle man is for-profit or not-for-profit, they both operated a supply chain in which artists audition for their “big break.” 

However, the advent of new technology is creating a paradigm shift, a change in the power dynamic. ProTools, Garageband, Finalcut Pro, digital cameras, downloadable content, eCommerce, YouTube, MySpace, Napster, and other social networking sites have allowed artists to cheaply produce, market and distribute their work. They do not have to rely on the resources of the “middle man” to reach their audiences or realize financial returns. In fact, in some ways they are better position in the new economy then the big conglomerate or major institution, because they have little overhead. They don’t have to hit the mass market, they can make money marketing to small niche segments of the global village.  

Some examples of what D.I.Y artists are doing:

• Photographers are finding that the Internet and improved data management programs are making it easier to market directly to their customers, increasing opportunities for self-employment and decreasing reliance on stock photo agencies.
• Musicians are selling downloads over the internet, filming their own low budget videos for YouTube, offering free downloads to spur ticket sells for gigs, manufacturing their own merchandise and creating profit sharing programs so fans will solicit sales from friends.
• Actors are producing their own films/plays, using social networks to bring in audiences, and broadcasting work across the globe via the Internet.
• Writers are self-publishing and growing their fan base via blogging/interactive media.
• Visual Artists are selling their prints through e-gallery spaces and getting more active in mix media that can reach virtual audiences.
• Filmmakers are making a name for themselves via YouTube and creating work for premium content websites.

Another major reason why the traditional career model is changing is that traditional firms and organizations are experiencing budget crunches. Traditional firms have been losing money on the decline of legacy products (i.e. DVD’s and CDs) and the decline in philanthropic funding. This has forced them to be more selective about whom they “hire.” They no longer want raw talent they can mold; they want artists to “audition” with proven profitability. They want the artists to come to the “table” with an audience, as measured by MySpace hits,  downloads, user-generated website testimonials, positive reviews from citizen journalist, Google results, and viral-marketing based fame. 

Although there are still opportunities to succeed using the traditional career development model, artists are increasingly competing on the principals of entrepreneurship. For example, one of the artist consultants (and working artist) we interviewed told us the story of why she started consulting. Early in her career she was struggling to launch a painting career in Northern California by submitting her portfolio to galleries and curators. She was very frustrated with her career’s lack of progress when she read a newspaper article that changed her approach. The article told of a corporate woman who gave up her corporate career in pursuit of an artistic career. With the aid of a business consultant, she created a fully researched business plan that targeted the underserved market of northern Californian wineries.  Within a year she sold $100,000 worth of paintings.

This shift from dependant to independent artist, from employee to entrepreneur, has left a number of artists confused about how to approach their career development. The Internet continues to give rise to revenue streams that turn traditional business models upside down and provide numerous options for artists to market their work. However, they are finding an equal number of obstacles in differentiating their work from peers and attracting the attention of a critical mass of people. All these factors leave artists feeling overwhelmed by (and under trained for) the new DIY environment.

Fractured Atlas aims to use its core competence in technology and its ability to create strong networks to connect artists with experts, resources, services, and information that can help them navigate this new terrain.

More results from our 2008 national survey aimed at better understanding your professional development needs. So far, we have discussed the universal and career phase needs of artists. Now, I’d like to quickly touch on some of the generational needs we discovered in our research.

Generation Y (born between 1980-1994) - The older half of Gen Y artists are exiting undergrad or grad school and are eager to quickly “make it happen,” especially after loan payments come due and life expenses increase.

“I am 26…I am beyond working for free. There is no security and no real long term claim to ownership if the work of the company (I dance with) does eventually make a profit.” – Dancer, NYC

“We need information on how to set up a lifestyle that will allow us to pursue art for the long haul.” – Musician & Actor, Los Angeles

Generation X (born between 1965-1979) – Many Gen X’ers have been in the field for a while and feel like they “hit a wall.” Some are combating this stagnation by trying to “step up their game;” others are starting to think about law school; some have managed to build a good reputation and are experiencing a fair amount of success. The more established X artists need help managing the new challenges of a successful career, such as: long-term financial planning, sustaining momentum, protecting their IP rights, etc.

Many are grappling with tough decisions about starting a family or pursuing their career while providing for the children they already have. Some are being told to give up their dreams and “be responsible.” Some are saying “f%#@” convention, by choosing to stay unattached and nomadic.

“I have held off on graphic design since having kids, how do women and men plan for family and still make a living in the arts? …HUGE issue for female artists.” – Graphic Designer, Louisiana

“I stopped being an artist for four years to be a real estate agent and almost went nuts…I was told I was being selfish to want to be an artist as a parent…then I realized my kids were growing up not even knowing who their mother really was. I learned the hard way, you can’t ever stop being an artist…its just who you are. ”- Director, Georgia
Baby Boomers (born between 1946-1964) - many boomers are just returning to the arts after a long hiatus caused by life’s distractions and they want to integrate creativity back into their life. Others are just discovering latent talents and are eager to fully realize them. These artists express a need for career transition management.

“My kids are grown and I have a freedom I didn’t have before. I figured; why not move from teaching about playwrights to being a playwright. So I enrolled in a PhD program in creative writing and I am directing my first play next month.” – Playwright, Georgia

Other Boomers have enjoyed a very fruitful artistic career and worry about how to firmly establish their legacy. They want strategies for documenting their work in art or performance history books; establishing institutions that will carry on their artistic mission; or simply communicating how their work is still relevant.

As mentioned, we are working to expand the Fractured Atlas Development Program to better meet your needs by developing our online training center (Fractured U.). Also, we are developing a network of highly qualified consultant and coaches who can provide customized assistance to artists trying to plan, launch and manage their careers/companies. For more information contact me (kamal.sinclair@fracturedatlas.org) or Adam Natale (adam.natale@fracturedatlas.org)

As mentioned, we conducted a national survey and a series of phone interviews to better understand the professional development needs of artists. In the last post, I outlined the most common needs expressed by your peers. In this post, I thought you might be interested in understanding how your needs varied by career phase.

Emerging Artists feel like they know how to make art, but are ignorant about the operations and infrastructure of their own industry. They don’t know what it really takes to be a working artist. Most reported being told by a teacher or mentor to “just persevere at all costs” in order to achieve their creative dreams, but were not given more practical insight into the day-to-day reality of their career.

They feel the lack of information is very disempowering and causes a perceived loss of control. Therefore, emerging artists especially want an education in industry structure, functions, vocabulary, and norms; which can be a source of empowerment and create a sense of career control.

“What is the vocabulary? What is the process? Who has the power? Where do I get started? Where should I live? (NYC or Los Angeles?) How do I get an agent, or join the union? How can I avoid being scammed? How do I get an exhibit?” – collage of emerging artist comments

“I would love some sort of a boot camp in business concepts for artists. Also, we need a way to mediate the connection to capital. Artists are uncomfortable asking people for money, they need an advocate. A workshop on pitching and presenting materials would be great. We have to learn about fundraising or getting investors for our vision. I wish I had templates or someone to spoon feed me the steps on how to save money. Individual sessions would be great! It’s hard to accept that you have to be involved in the selling process, but it would help to have a partner. It would be great to have general business knowledge tailored for filmmakers…that would be great!” - Filmmaker, Los Angeles

“I have questions about how to sell music and make money, because CDs aren’t selling, technology is changing, new ways are emerging to support yourself….I hate having to push my CD…it is such an artist conflict, you want to sell your stuff, but you want to remain humble.” –Musician, Florida

Established Artists need help getting “unstuck”, overcoming worries about peaking, taking control of their careers, taking actions toward getting the next gig, managing their “brand”, getting emotional support when their social network changes, and overcoming the negative aspects of the industry.

“My career is being pulled by the market in one direction, but I have to push it in the direction of my creative (non-monetary) goals. If I was smart, I would just do what the market demands and make even more money, but I just don’t want to make stuff for money’s sake. If I did, I could be making a whole lot more money right now.” – Photographer, San Francisco

Again, we are working to expand the Fractured Atlas Development Program to better meet your needs by developing our online training center (Fractured U.) and developing a network of highly qualified consultant and coaches who can provide customized assistance to artists trying to plan, launch and manage their careers and companies. For more information contact me (kamal.sinclair@fracturedatlas.org) or Adam Natale (adam.natale@fracturedatlas.org)

In March 2008, we conducted a national survey and a series of phone interviews to better understand the professional development needs of artists. I thought you might be interested in what your peers described as their needs, wants, and desires. Sometimes it makes us feel better to know that we are not alone; that others are looking for the same things. Maybe, it can help you gain clarity about what you want and what actions you can take to fulfill your needs. As you might expect, we found that artists’ needs varied based on age, career stage, region and discipline. However, some needs remained consistent across all categories, such as creative autonomy, meaningful results, and love. The following is a list of the most universal needs expressed by your peers:

1) Need for success – Respondents’ definition of success ranged dramatically; from generating large sums of money, to simply having a moment of creative expression. Some artists saw positive critical reviews and prestigious grants/awards as markers for success; whereas others cited the euphoria of the creative process as their standard. Some defined success as having made a meaningful social impact and others simply measured it by the number of laughs or tears in their audience. No matter what the definition, success is one of the strongest needs expressed in this study.

“Success is embodying my own work, having my work produced and performed where it can make a statement for the artist world and the activist world…and serve as a catalyst for people to think critically.” – Dancer, New York

“Big bucks don’t define artistry….success is fulfilling dreams in terms of non-monetary results. Although money is nice and necessary…being true to yourself, realizing your potential to the fullest and connecting to your roots is my definition of success.” – Playwright, Georgia

“The greatest use of art is as a medium for creating greater understanding of the human experience.” – Photographer, San Francisco

2) Need for clarity/focus – Many artists expressed a need for clarity, for control over their careers, and for a vision to push them past periods of stagnation. Some say clarity would help them to let go of long-term projects that may never work, to break free of tunnel vision, and to avoid the paralyzation (scattered energy) of pursuing too many possibilities. Some “successful” artists said the turning point in their career happened the day they “got honest” with themselves. Once they clearly defined their core desire, they were able to stop spending energy on everything and anything that came their way. This elimination of non-productive activity allowed them to focus all of their energy on things that effectively brought them closer to their goal.

3) Need for emotional support - Artists endure long periods of unemployment, intense competition, and frequent rejections. This can have a serious effect on self-confidence. The artists in our survey expressed a need to be validated, encouraged, challenged, and motivated by their peers and artistic community. They need peer support in overcome fear of success and failure.

4) Need for work/life balance – It seems that everyone in the current fast paced environment wants balance in their lives, but artists’ lack of job security and financial resources make balance particularly challenging. Many artists are frustrated by having to spend 40 hours per week on a day job that takes them from their artistic pursuits. Whereas, “working” artists are challenged by the speed and quantity of work they have to produce; they want to learn how to better pace their creative output.

5) Need for advocacy - Artists want better advocacy. They want to capture some of the value they generated for society. They are frustrated by the cycle of moving to a “unpopular” urban neighborhood, improving its attractiveness by creating a “trendy” scene, getting priced out, and losing their creative space.

6) Need for partnership/services - In many ways, artists want the ability to “just do art”, but they understand that survival requires money, which requires some involvement in business. Many of the respondents expressed a desire to have someone else take care of their administrative and business needs, so they can just create.

7) Need for business and managerial skills – Many artists feel disempowered when dealing with the business aspects of their career, because they have not been given a cursory education in this field of knowledge. They want to better understand the “fog of business,” in order to confidently chart their path and navigate their journey.

“Business know-how is my primary deficiency… because of it… I missed a lot of opportunities. I need to know how to market, negotiate, and strategize for the long term….NEGOTIATION!!! I have struggles with setting a fair price for my work. How do I sell myself? I don’t know what to ask for.…what to sell myself for. I don’t know how to read a contract. Sometimes I feel like I am signing my life away. In dance a lot of work is created collectively, but the director gets all the branding…I don’t know what to ask for because there is no distribution of information on what is industry standard for this type of thing. I don’t know how to set boundaries. Artist need benchmarks to determine value….principals to navigate these issues. It’s hard to be a dissenter in a community of “yes men.” I feel the eagerness of the “yes men” brings down the value for everyone.” – Dancer, New York

Additionally, the unprecedented virtual noise and rapid changes in the Web 2.0 (3.0) environment requires that artists know more about accessing a virtual audience, but most of the time they feel “beat up” by this saturated eSpace. They want new strategies for building a loyal audience, gaining recognition, finding creative employment, and generating financial returns.

8) Need for resources - the funding from public and private organizations is not expected to keep pace with rising production costs, so only large and mid-size companies are able to operate under the traditional business model. Smaller companies are having fewer performances/exhibits/events and offer limited employment opportunities. Artists want to find new business models or new funding sources. Also, many artists express a need for physical space to create and present their work.

Currently, we are working to expand the Fractured Atlas Professional Development Program to better meet your needs. Initiatives include an online training center (Fractured U.) and a network of highly qualified consultant/coaches who can provide customized assistance to artists trying to plan, launch and manage their careers and companies. For more information contact me (kamal.sinclair@fracturedatlas.org) or Adam Natale (adam.natale@fracturedatlas.org)