Do you consider yourself to be a creative or business person? Can you be both? The relationship between art and business has always been tenuous - many artists see what they do as an endeavour of the spirit rather than a means for capital gain and as a result, expressions such as ‘sell out’ are all too often chucked around.
It is therefore important to know where your line is in terms of producing 'art' for money as opposed to creative work for passion.
Set strong ethical principles from the start
Should art be ethical? Many artists use their medium as a form of socio-political or philosophical expression. Can a freelance creative afford to retain this principle through all of their work, regardless of whether it is for business purposes or creativity? Equally, running your own business relies on values and it is important to operate with integrity from the start - this means being humble as well as proud, we all need money to live and our clients are an important part of that.
One of the most exciting aspects of working within creative industries is the diversity of people you meet. Hopefully, as your business grows there will be a lot of individuals and companies interested in working with you. It is therefore important to be aware of the type of people you are doing business with - you may operate with ethical principles but do they? Researching a client is good practice as your business continues to grow and this philosophy will also gain you respect from prospective clients, as well as your peers.
Remain true to your art-form
Passion is why you’re here in the first place and it is an incredible privilege to be able to live off of it. However, it is easy to get blindsided when the money starts to roll in. An example of this is with street artists who, by the very nature of their craft, are expressing a type of anarchy, which comes under question the minute they start getting commissioned to paint the sides of buildings. That is not to say there is anything wrong with this choice but many street artists would argue that it changes the art form from urban free art to marketing and pro-commerce.
Remaining true to your art-form doesn’t mean you only have to stick to one sector or medium, after all, you may find you can only make money by branching out. A fashion photographer may choose to accept wedding work, for example. However, it is important to always retain the values and artistic integrity you stand by as an artist. Not all 'money jobs' mean you have to leave your values at the door. A client has hired you based on your creativity or based on your previous work. Bringing that same energy, passion, and creativity into a job that pays is no bad thing and, although you may not be making a political statement when working on a corporate job, there should be a few 'non-negotiables' that you don't compromise on such as integrity, quality, creativity, and professionalism. As a writer, I will never misrepresent the truth, even if that is what the commissioner wants of me.
Strive for balance
Always ensure you spend some free time working on art for art’s sake. This is so important to remain on the happy side of that line. It is also recommended that you do your creative work in a different space to where you operate your business; this provides an obvious break between the two and will help you keep the psychological balance needed to nourish your creativity.
Finding balance is difficult as life is busy but it should be an absolute requirement, without it you could risk burning out or find yourself in a place where you no longer feel like a creative.
Stay in control while allowing another’s vision to guide you
Just because someone is paying you for something does not always give them the right to take full creative control. A great tattoo artist, for example, will always make a person’s chosen design reflect their own artistic style, this is often how they become successful as others recognise their brand and the integrity of their work.
To master the art of business, you must first learn how to guide a client down the path of choice you see most fit. Remember that you are the expert and they have commissioned you based on this fact. None-the-less, their vision must play a part and it’s a balancing act that takes time to perfect. Equally, as technology enables amateurs to produce content more easily, it's a freelancer's creativity, imagination and project management that is becoming as important as the service they are providing.
Do not undervalue yourself
By undervaluing your work, you are also undervaluing your creative talent. Do not be afraid to set competitive prices, you are a skilled artist and that skill takes time and often money to perfect. Furthermore, when artists undervalue themselves they also undervalue their profession, as other freelancers in the same trade will be forced to lower their prices or risk losing work in the industry.
By setting the prices that your work deserves, you will not need to take on as many jobs, which will leave your time free to develop personal projects and help you maintain a balance. Setting your prices too low will result in a lot of extra work, which could result in resentment and worst case scenario, you could end up hating the thing you love.
The fine balance between art for creativity and business can be difficult. However, a lot of that also comes down to the way you view yourself. Being a business person and an artist is not selling out; it is, in fact, a sign of a savvy approach to work. If you manage to get to the point where you make money from your passion, this is by far the most privileged position to be in. It is then your responsibility to ensure you go forward with artistic integrity and grace.
