DACS launches national survey of artists’ earnings 

Artists across the UK are being invited to take part in a survey intended to gain a better understanding of how they earn their money.

Commissioned by DACS (Design and Artists Copyright Society), the independent study will be conducted by the Centre for Regulation of the Creative Economy (CREATe), University of Glasgow.

The work follows a 2010 study that found artists' earnings averaged around £10,000 a year.

Christian Zimmerman, DACS's Chief Executive, said: “With the effects of Brexit, the pandemic, cuts to arts funding and the challenges posed by AI, it is more important than ever that DACS campaigns for stronger intellectual property protection, for policies that better support artists’ livelihoods, and for the arts to be a secure career prospect. 

"We need to build a clear and comprehensive picture of artists’ earnings today and how they are generating income in order to understand the challenges artists face in sustaining their practice. We want to hear from artists at all stages of their careers and from all disciplines.”

The survey, accessible here, is open from March to Sunday, 7 April. CREATe will publish a report on it in late 2024.