Show me the money part 2 – How to fund your art without arts funding.

Those of you who have worked with me personally will be aware that funding is one of my least favorite financial strategies for arts practitioners. Before I get started on why, I want to clarify that I’m not writing from a position of personal bitterness. My own track record with funding is pretty stellar, from small project funding, infrastructure investment to recurring core organization funding, most applications I have personally written have gotten over the line. But submission writing is an artform in itself and generally speaking the process is highly selective and competitive. It is also a politically fraught solution, as we had well demonstrated here in Australia with the recent, sudden and rotten sinking of the Australia Council For The Arts’ shiny new accessible funding ship. Return on investment for funding can be pretty crap once you consider the application process itself, acquittals, ongoing hoop jumping and the fact that, unless you are a wizard at these kinds of things, many of your very worthy applications will likely fail to be granted. Funding can be a gift to certain arts projects but in most cases I would advise you try some of these other strategies first to fund your creative life. 

1. User Pays

This one is my favourite. In my Utopian universe all artists would charge for their art and people would joyfully pay for it. Sadly we are socially accustomed to receiving our arts for free. From online film streaming and platforms like Spotify, to free arts events, subsidised entrance prices and crazy cheap workshops, the public has generally been trained to not put a dollar value on the arts. This said the creative industries in many capacities are booming, handmade is king, the live music industry is flourishing, custom bespoke homewares are in high demand and the online world is expanding market reach exponentially. Work out what problem your product solves and for who and market and charge accordingly. Want to know why you should charge for what you do, read this. Need to understand the problem you solve and the market for it read this. 

2. Crowdfunding

If you have a solid social media following, loyal fan base, decent mailing list or some media clout then crowdfunding is a great way to get your project funded. If your project captures imaginations, gets people excited and offers some benefits for crowdfunders then this is a brilliant option. This blog tells you how to leverage crowdfunding for your arts biz. 

3. Corporate Funding

Does your project or art have a benefit for another business? Community arts events are a perfect example of an arts activity that can result in increased turn over for businesses. If your creativity stands to improve the bottom line for a business then this invites a financial contribution. Can you offer good exposure, social positioning or brand reinforcement for a business through your media campaigns and project reach that would inspire a financial contribution to what you’re doing? Yes! Then knock on the doors of the relevant business people.

4. Sell Out

Identify what you do/provide/make/sell that people want most and create some money spinners that support your more heartfelt creations. With careful branding this can be done without impacting on your creative integrity or profile and can be a great alternative to a day job.

5. Day Jobs

I love this strategy. Pick the right day job and you can structure your creative life for total artistic freedom and solid financial security. You can take the pressure off your art to pay the bills and follow your creative bliss. Picking the right job is important so that your creative life remains the top priority whilst keeping your head above water financially. The right day job also allows you to build your arts business with integrity and brand clarity and without the panic of taking what you can get, incorrect pricing and an underlying poverty consciousness.

For more on the myths of Selling Out and Day Jobs check out this article.