Is it right for your business?
Before you engage an artist or arts worker, take a moment to consider whether it's the right decision for your organisation or business.
For example:
- Can you support the costs of engaging an artist or arts worker(s)?
- Will there be enough work for them?
- Where will the work come from?
It's important to plan for workers alongside your broader business planning.
If you’re not yet set up as a business, learn more about starting and running a creative business.
Are there any constraints or limits?
When it comes to creative work, we often want to make more art, put on more shows, have finer costumes or go on longer tours.
But there are often things that constrain or limit what work can be done.
These constraints can arise from laws, income sources, industry practices, operational practices and consumer behaviours.
Common constraints in the arts
For creative organisations and businesses, common constraints include:
Funding
Many creative businesses and organisations receive funding from other organisations, such as government or philanthropic funding.
Funding may only be available for a limited period.
Funding can also come with conditions, such as applying only to specific activities, outcomes or expenses.
Funding arrangements may only support certain types of work activities or particular types of workers and work arrangements.
Seasonal or project-based
Many creative performances or projects may be for a short period or have an end date, such as a performance season, or the completion of a project.
This may limit capacity for ongoing and permanent work arrangements.
Consumer behaviour
Consumer behaviour or audience demand canimpact the availability of work in your business.
Think about what impact any change in consumer demand could have on the work you need done.
For example, you may have work for three workers one week, but only one worker the next.
Operational
Operational preferences for your business can influence a work arrangement.
For example, if you would like to have control over the work you want, having an employment arrangement rather than independent contractor arrangement may be a better fit.
Legal requirements
Legal requirements may determine how you engage somebody and what they can do.
For example:
- Workplace laws apply to employment arrangements — Learn more about workplace laws
- Work health and safety (WHS) laws apply to how work is done — For example, managing safety risks and dealing with injuries and incidents.
Do you know which work arrangement?
Work arrangements are the different types of work relationships between organisations, businesses and workers. For example, independent contracting, employment and volunteering are all different types of work arrangements.
Learn more about the different types of work arrangements.
Not all work arrangements are the same. You need to work out which one is right for the circumstances. To do this, you need to understand:
- the different types of work arrangements, and
- the type of work and duties you need done.
These things are also relevant when working out:
- how you will budget for the work arrangement, and
- your role in managing the work or worker.
