artsderbyshire - Employing an artist

Often people are looking to commission an artist for work. So what do you need to consider?

Many organisations look to commission artists for work including venues, businesses, community groups, voluntary organisations and local councils. The commission could be anything from delivering a workshop for staff or customers, creating a new piece of artwork or delivering a performance. There are some factors to consider before employing an artist that are common to all artforms and settings.

Don’t just plump for the first painter or sculptor that you find. There are many artists in Derbyshire, all with different experiences, special interests, and different rates of pay. Be sure to find somebody that you feel is suitable for your project. Use our artist search to help you look.

Be very clear, when you first approach the artist, about the project, what work you want them to do and what rate of pay you can offer. Being clear about these basic issues will help you both to decide if you can work together on your project.

Draw up a contract for you, or a senior member of your organisation, and the artist to agree and sign. It should state clearly what the artist is expected to do, when, where and within what time frame. It should also state rates and terms of payment. If the project runs for several months, the contract should contain details of a period of notice, should the artist need to leave the project.

Keep in contact with the artist. It sounds simple but it can help to ensure that the artist is happy and they feel that the project is going well. Also make yourself available for them to contact you with issues or problems- this way the project can run smoothly and all parties end up happy with the result.