Together, how do we ensure a sector where quality is also sustainable?
"Between craftsmanship and policy", I wrote earlier about how amateur art is changing - in form, structure and meaning. But one question keeps recurring: how do we ensure that the professionals who carry this field are also paid fairly?
It is an uncomfortable question. Because we all want quality. Inspiration. Leadership. Continuity.
But we still too often put off the conversation about money.
And that has consequences.
The numbers don't lie
From the baseline measurement of Platform ACCT (2025-2028) Turns out:
- The typical zzp rate is around €54 per hour
- 30% of hours worked will not be reimbursed
- The effective earned rate thus comes out to €38 per hour
- Without a pension. Without disability. Without room to invest in development【source: CAOP/ACCT】.
Professionals make a difference - musically, pedagogically, socially - but are economically disadvantaged. And that can and must improve.
Conductors: key figure in a weak position
In the study Conductors and Directors in Motion (LKCA), we see how conductors twist and turn to fulfil all roles:
- Artistic director
- Pedagogue
- Communicator
- Freelancer without safety net
They often combine several associations to make ends meet and invest in further training and preparation themselves. But are rarely structurally recognised as professionals with a full-fledged professional position【source: LKCA】.
The tools are there - but are not yet reaching enough people
Platform ACCT developed a clear tariff module and supporting tools such as fairPACCT. Transparent, user-friendly and tailored to cultural practices.
Yet only a small proportion of professionals and boards actively use them. This is not unwillingness, but often a matter of unfamiliarity, inability to act or concern about financial viability.
And meanwhile, the field is changing...
The classic association model is declining. Increasingly, people work together in temporary projects, loose networks or neighbourhood initiatives - without a formal board or legal entity.
This requires new forms of organisation as well as reimbursement:
- Work with clear agreements in advance
- Use the pricing module also in temporary collaborations
- Involve pencilers or intermediaries for handling
- Explicitly request space for fair pay from funds and municipalities
Without structure no payment? No - without imagination no innovation.
Umbrella organisations: key players in tricky positions
Many national umbrellas have the Fair practice agreement signed. This is valuable. They are part of important conversations about professionalisation and positioning.
At the same time, they are rooted in a field that varies widely in supportiveness, frames of mind and readiness for change. And that makes it complicated:
- How do you inform your supporters without alienating them?
- How do you encourage fair pay without losing members?
I see many domes searching for the right tone, the right pace. And yet it is important that they continue to use their position as connectors. Not by imposing, but by providing guidance. By sharing knowledge, spreading good examples and keeping the conversation about appreciation open.
Because those who represent the field also help it move forward by daring to name where it chafes.
Policy space does exist
The VNG memorandum 'Safeguarding Culture Together' (Aug 2024) shows:
Fair pay does not have to cost millions. With targeted conditions and policy space, municipalities can make fair pay structurally possible make【source:VNG】.
"Municipalities, as the first government, are the main funder of culture. They assume fair pay in doing so." - VNG, 2024
When municipalities recognise non-formal creators and intermediaries as fully-fledged partners, there is room for true professionalisation in the amateur field.
Where are opportunities?
- For professionals: Use existing tools. Name your value. Be open about your rate.
- For boards: Have a conversation with your conductor or subject teacher. Not about 'cost', but about 'quality'.
- For domes: Keep making room for learning, sharing and adjusting. Fair pay does not require perfection, but direction.
- For municipalities and funds: Build fair pay into your policy. Not only in institutions, but also in initiatives without a formal structure.
In conclusion - personal
I am not writing this as an outsider, but as someone who knows the sector from the inside. Who sees how much value is created in rehearsal spaces, studios and gymnasiums. Who knows how much love and craftsmanship is put into local culture.
But love is not a business model.
And quality demands recognition - also in euros.
Together, let's look for ways to see fair pay not as an obstacle, but as a foundation. For an industry that is sustainable. Human. And forward-looking.
Want to get started with fair pay in your organisation, municipality or network?
View the pricing module or contact us for an inspiration session or working workshop.
