Artists are averse to entrepreneurship. 3 reasons why that is wrong

Most young artists only find out after their studies that they lack important entrepreneurial skills. That is why ELIA, the networking organisation for colleges of arts in Europe, the conference: Making a Living From the Arts. On 14 and 15 September, academics, cultural entrepreneurs and artists from different countries will gather in Amsterdam. Together, they will discuss creative solutions for entrepreneurship in the arts. With Barbara Revelli, head of communications at ELIA, I talk about the social shifts that make developing entrepreneurial skills increasingly necessary. On the terrace of café Love in Amsterdam's Bilderdijkpark, the Italian beauty eloquently and in almost fluent Dutch explains why it is time for artists to make smarter money.

Pure art

Why is 'entrepreneurship' a dirty word within the art world?

"When I talk to academics or artists about 'entrepreneurship', it scares me. In countries with a lot of public funds, you see this resistance the most. Artists think they have to start their own business and they don't want to. For them, the modernist principle that the artist is separate from society is still alive. You make pure art on your own in a remote studio. In the Netherlands, entrepreneurship is greatly stimulated by the government. As a result, you are more likely to see artists working with start-ups here."

"The more traditional the art discipline is, the more resistance we see to the businesslike way of thinking and working. This is especially visible in fine art and painting. In graphic design, on the other hand, coming up with a product for a client is part of the study. Designers are trained to work with deadlines, project planning, budgets, communication, etc. The same goes for courses in architecture, or even within the performing arts. Whether you have your own business or not, a big part of your work is communicating to others what you do. And presenting oneself, performers can do that."

Price tag

"With the conference, we want to re-appropriate the word 'entrepreneurship' by articulating it as something that does not deter. Therefore, at the conference, we are not so much talking about 'entrepreneurship' as 'expanded professionalism'. After all, it is not the case that all art must become applied art. Pure art should also certainly remain, just as pure science is important for innovation. Besides, pure art often depicts the future, and it is precisely this imagination that is such a valuable mirror for society."

"Nevertheless, we do want to emphasise that there are certain skills, such as networking or pitching, that do benefit artists greatly as 'professionals'. Artists should be able to articulate the social value of their art form. And why that comes with a price tag!"

Cuts

In the press release for the conference states "With societal challenges and the pressures of globalisation, it is increasingly important for creative professionals to strengthen their position in society." What societal challenges are you referring to here?

"The most obvious reason that it is time for artists to learn to think like entrepreneurs is the removal of subsidies. In some countries, the attitude prevails that artists have nothing to do with money. Art and commerce are two different worlds there. This is understandable when you consider that art is mainly subsidised. Now that subsidies are increasingly disappearing, also outside the Netherlands, artists have to come up with creative solutions to start earning their money."

"A second societal shift is education becoming more expensive. In the UK, education has long been much more expensive than here in the Netherlands. There, you see artists being more money conscious and aware of the need to earn money. When you start your working life with a study debt of £40,000, you are more motivated to think commercially. In other countries where study fees are going up, you see this same tilt. So too in the Netherlands, where the basic grant has become a loan."

Public opinion

"The third shift has to do with the social value of art. When political leaders decide not to invest in art, by ending subsidies, they signal that art and art education are not valuable. Indirectly, this causes artists to be paid worse even by private bodies. After all, in public opinion, the value of their product or service has fallen. Art has also been described as a 'left-wing hobby', but it is not. Artists create innovation, which in turn has a positive impact on the economy."

"Besides, like other professionals, artists are experts who can advise others or companies. Unfortunately, they often do not realise this and cannot sell themselves that way. Therefore, artists should learn to become their own 'advocate' and state what their 'social impact' is!"

Young artists

What do you hope to achieve with the conference Making a Living from the Arts reach?

"Interest in entrepreneurship only arises when artists take their first steps into the field. That is why the conference ties in with the ninth editions of the NEU NOW festival which takes place from 14 to 17 September in Amsterdam. During this festival, the most promising young artists from Europe will show their work. Normally, we always organise workshops to help these artists start their careers. This year, we decided to take a slightly bigger approach and expose the different 'attitudes' about art and entrepreneurship through a conference."

"With the conference Making a Living from the Arts we want to create awareness about the importance of entrepreneurship skills. After all, it is normal for artists to be paid poorly - or not at all. We think this is ridiculous. It is not normal in other sectors, so why should we have to accept low remuneration? We really want to change this! That is why one of the pillars of the conference is 'creative solutions to labour struggles'. When artists start using their creativity to come up with innovative solutions to social problems, they can start earning more money."

Creative solutions

"We also hope to spark discussion between academics, colleges, artists and cultural managers from different European countries on how best to prepare artists for 'the world beyond'. We see it as a challenge for colleges to remain a safe bubble in which artists can develop their creativity by engaging in all kinds of experiments. After all, this is a valuable 'once in a lifetime opportunity' and should not be lost. But at the same time, colleges should, so to speak, open their windows to show what the reality is outside the school. Indeed, if artists are too protected during their education, it will be difficult for them to live in that reality later on. Whereas, if they are confronted with social problems during their education, they might already be able to develop ideas on how they could come up with a creative solution to them."

"At least we know one thing for sure: you won't reach art students by giving courses on 'business plan writing'. At that stage of their lives, it's just not relevant yet. They want to study art, not business administration. Within other sectors, this 'gap' between education and the professional field is filled by traineeships, but artists often work independently. As a result, they don't get that opportunity to upskill in business skills. I think there is more of a role for alumni associations or 'startup hubs' specifically for cultural entrepreneurs. Membership of such a hub is both affordable and provides access to practical workshops and networking events. Some such hubs will also give a presentation during the conference, such as Makerversity from Amsterdam and the Z-Kubator from Zurich."

Arts Education

You indicate that artists should be able to articulate the value of art. In your opinion, what is the social relevance of art? And what is your incentive to be an 'advocate' for the arts sector?

"My personal motivation is that I am convinced that art and art education are very important for our society. Art teaches people to feel and reflect. It opens people up to other perspectives and other cultures. You learn to think 'out of the box'. That creativity, that is a human quality - and a 21st century skill - that will only become more valuable in the years to come! That doesn't mean that everyone should become an artist, but it does mean that everyone should have had art education, for example in primary and secondary school."

"I imagine a world without arts education as a world where people live like machines. A society without innovation. I always think in the long term, I had that before I had two children, but after that it only got stronger. I asked myself: if I don't do anything now, if I don't fight for the arts now... What is their world going to be like?"