Freelancer truths + WMCA’s Activate Programme Launches
Today, I spoke as part of an industry panel of freelancers at the West Midlands Combined Authority’s launch of brand new skills, practice and business development programme; called Activate.
I decided to take to my blog to quickly reflect on my participation and some of the brutally honest things that were discussed. It was quite emotional! And importantly, feedback from other freelancers in the audience was that they felt heard, represented and that finally there’s support, here in the region, for a large amount of people to take part in. In fact, there’s loads!
Pic: Taken by Sarah Brewster of me and the panel at the WMCA Activate Launch at St. Marys Guildhall, Coventry.
So what went down?
Firstly, it was so refreshing to speak among other brilliant freelancers - and to be given an opportunity to share our perspectives to a room full of “power”.
Today was important because WMCA launched a significant programme that will run from September to December - for and with the cultural sector. It is aimed at trying to improve the conditions for thriving, to support growth and enable more; opportunities, sustainability, resilience, wellbeing.
Among some of the things that we as a freelancer panel discussed were; what do we define as creativity and innovation? How does passion and purpose intersect with obtaining funding and what can the sector do better in concern to us freelancers?
All big topics right?
And our answers sought to offer our own unique experiences, observations (in my case from the 100+ artists I’ve now worked with since being freelance) and impact through the work we do. We covered alllll this, which, if you’re an organisation reading this, could be seen as a playbook for ‘how to get working with freelancers' right’, sort of thing!
Invite freelancers to have a seat at the table.
There’s a need for perceptions of power to be debunked when it comes to salaried staff vs freelancers, somehow we’re seen as lesser than equal. Please don’t pity us, many of us love freelancing and made an active choice to be/stay working freelance. We are equals, humans even. We have just as much value and ‘important’ salaried staff.
The problems we face are systemic and structural.
Institutions could do better.
Pay us! Pay us on time!
Give us respect.
Include us in funding applications and projects from the start and not at the end to ‘save the day’.
Don’t name us in funding bids without our consent.
Your why and your values are an anchor - they can help you to navigate the sector and say yes, or more likely, and importantly, the ability to say no to jobs/work/clients/gigs that do not align.
Organisations, companies of all sizes and firms: you can trust us. We need your trust. You can take a “risk” on us. Research how to work with freelancers and what benefit we will have on your bottom line, bring us into that conversation.
Freelancers have massive value.
Language is PARAMOUNT. Freelancers often need complex funding speak and other systemic challenges debunking and explaining what it really means (for their work) and how to navigate it. This is a code switch.
Time is money and the nature of freelancing means we are very productive, probably wayyyyy more than salaried staff. We get sh*t done because we have to.
Enable us by maximising your assets - if you have a space - help us by offering it out, cheaply or freely for co-working or creative development. Yes, you have bills to pay, but so do we.
Cut the gatekeeping.
A few of the audience members said that the panel gave them lots to ‘chew over’ going forwards. I hope it challenges some views and maybe even some bias?
My own personal experiences of freelancing are actually contrary to popular belief. I think I’m doing fairly well. I’ve figured out how to make it work, what my bread and butter work is, the way I work and my preferred workflows. I have regular clients and a large network from which is lean on when times get slow. But that all said, please don’t get me wrong. There I still experience some anxiety provoking months when I ask myself, what’s coming next? Or look at my bank account and panic because invoices haven’t been paid and I’ve got bills due… I’ve also been there for the many, many other freelancers with whom I regularly work and they tell me similar stories. Some folks really are on the breadline, some survive and some don’t. Some build resilience and a thriving environment for themselves and some do not. It’s tough, there’s no denying it.
Some you might ask, so why do you do it? Why not just go and get a job?! Well, I feel strongly that this is my calling. The freedom, autonomy, creativity, balance, the choice. They’re all mine and no one tells me what to do, when to do it or how to do it. I would continue to choose freelancing any day, even the rough ones; over toxic workplaces, toxic practices and toxic systems.
We’re all human and there are many, many folks genuinely trying their best to help, support, nurture, invest in, work with and develop the freelancer ecosystem. In fact as much as this blog details what else could be done to support us, there are handful of organisations who really get it. They have programmes running, networks, memberships, empathic staff, a genuine interest and they see the benefits we bring to their work. But there’s more to be done.
So let’s start with Activate and see how it goes hey?
If you’re a freelancer or you run a small arts business or are in a collective or coop, what have you got to lose?
Apply here.
My thanks go to Chair of the panel, Nyasha Daley, and fellow speakers Jamie Wright and Navkiran Mann.