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The Arts Council Ireland's Fair Pay, Fair Practice Policy Toolkit is a detailed guide designed to support arts organisations in transforming their policies regarding the remuneration and working conditions of artists and freelancers in the arts sector across Ireland into "transformative practice".
By Matthaios Tsimitakis
Following the successful implementation of the basic income support scheme for approximately 2000 artists and creative workers in Ireland with a weekly payment of €325, the country's Arts Council is now taking it a step further.
Early October, the “Fair Pay, Fair Practice Policy Toolkit” was published to support Arts Organisations in transforming their remuneration and working conditions policies for artists and freelancers in the sector.
Acknowledging the systemic challenges that artists face, such as low pay, unstable incomes and precarious working conditions, the toolkit's main objective is to help organisations proactively develop and implement their own specialised policies.
The initiative is based directly on the Arts Council's policy for “Fair and Equal Pay and Contracting with Artists” that sets out key principles, arguing that remuneration is only fair when it adequately reflects the time, expertise, contribution, and value created by an artist's work.
The toolkit also exposes deeply entrenched issues, including unpaid meeting times, significant out-of-pocket expenses for visual artists, and a complete lack of social protections for the 87% of arts workers who are self-employed. As a result, one in three freelance Arts workers report plans to leave their current roles due to burnout and inadequate compensation. While 95% of artists believe written policies can improve pay, only a quarter of funded organisations currently do publish their rates publicly.
Key provisions include a radical 10-day payment rule, mandatory upfront payments, and a commitment to never requesting free work. Early adopters are already demonstrating the toolkit's potential. Limerick Printmakers have committed to ring-fencing artist fees in every budget, while An Griánán Theatre has restructured its payment models to ensure fair compensation and social security contributions.
The toolkit also stipulates that organisations receiving public funding must treat fair remuneration as a policy issue and priority, incorporating it into their budgets rather than making it dependent on them. Organisations must develop and publish their fair pay policies within six months, with future funding increasingly dependent on meaningful implementation rather than paper promises.
Furthermore, the Arts Council emphasises the importance of organisations striving for best practices rather than minimum standards and maintaining high levels of transparency and openness in all contractual transactions.
The development of the tool involved an extensive consultation process to ensure its accuracy and relevance to the sector. This involved close collaboration with 81 arts organisations, as well as a special survey of artists, which received over 480 responses, capturing the direct experiences and opinions of freelancers in the arts.
The research phase included a thorough review of national and international studies confirmed the prevalence of structural problems, such as financial instability and a lack of access to standard benefits, including sick and parental leave. It also highlighted excessive expectations of unpaid work, including time spent on meetings, planning and networking.
To help organisations address these issues, the tool provides practical resources such as worksheets, templates, and reflection prompts. These resources ensure that all collaborations with artists are covered by a clear contract, with remuneration reflecting the full scope of work and expenses being clearly separated from fees (including per diems).
Image: ‘Terra’ by Alessandra Azeviche. Photo: Kristian Mantalvanos, courtesy of the Arts Council
