Situations vacant

‘Are they serious?’ – words I have found myself saying at some recent arts job ads. I asked around and it would seem that I am not alone in being astounded by the demands of current job descriptions against remuneration.

I have seen consultancy projects ask for a complete business overhaul for three grand all in; a national competition asking for senior all-rounder management level experience for £20K pro rata; and what are clearly senior posts advertised at officer level with commensurate lower pay. I thought I was imagining things when reflecting that a couple of years ago, more money would have been offered but colleagues would seem to support this, albeit anecdotal, impression; there appears to be a cheapening of professional skills in the arts right now. Worryingly too I hear of people not getting posts at their level as people with years’ experience on them are taking pay cuts.
Don’t get me wrong, I am all for making budgets work hard and getting the most from people. And yes, budgets are beyond stretched so less money all round having to outperform like never before. What worries me in this trend is the implicit devaluing of skill, experience and personnel; not paying people what they are worth for the task at hand; the piling on of responsibilities to a low level post simply because there isn’t the capacity in the organisation to do it elsewhere; and maybe the thinking behind this that as it’s a desperate situation out there, someone will take this low-pay/high-task job without question, so thankful will they be to be employed.
I for one don’t ascribe to this. I have passed on some great projects on the basis that they would be paying me below the financial line I will not fall beneath. I know my worth, what I can bring to a post over and above the job description, and I know just how hard I will work to fulfil a contract. I advise the artists I work with to price their work to cover their overheads, their standard of living and their creativity and not be ashamed to ask for what they are worth (as opposed to what they cost) and I would advise any arts manager the same.
Fine words I know, but the bills have to be paid and when there is little work out there, we’d all rather be employed than not. But what of the long horizon here? What concerns me is twofold. Firstly, at what is still the beginning of a sustained period of financial compromise in the arts, that these ‘new’ job descriptions will become the benchmark, continuing a market undervaluing of arts business skills. Secondly, it will make breaking into an arts management career and career progression all the harder if so much is being asked of entry level posts and the competition is willing to take less money. Where will that leave us in the long run? The UK’s arts workforce working harder, under more pressure, and in ever-worsening relative poverty.