Slog

News & Arts

Line Out

Music & the City
at Night

« Tonight: Collide-O-Scope's Not-for-… | Lesbian Couple Crowned Homecoming K… »

Monday, October 31, 2011

Arts / Visual Art Artists Have Higher Salaries? Yeah, Right.

Posted by Jen Graves on Mon, Oct 31, 2011 at 11:03 AM

The headline in yesterday's New York Times was "Study Says Artists Have Higher Salaries." It reminded me of the sign for Yogurtland yogurt that I saw on Broadway last week: "Twice the real pumpkin inside!" Twice what? Inside where?

There's a better rundown of the study, with a direct link to it as a PDF, on the National Endowment for the Arts blog. It helps to clarify what the study means by "artist"—and 39 percent of the time, it means designer. Almost 40 percent of artists are "Graphic, commercial, and industrial designers, fashion designers, floral designers, interior designers, merchandise displayers, and set and exhibit designers."

Factoids: The highest paid artists, as a group, are architects (some $63,000 annual salary on average). Lady artists make 81 cents on the male artist dollar. Announcers are considered artists. Minnesota has more publishing than anywhere else. In Seattle, employment in the theater industry is twice the national average (same in Minneapolis and San Diego areas). Artists are more likely than the general workforce to be white. There are more musicians than any other types of performers.

There are 46 pages. Dive in.

Comments (11) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

Is 81 lady cents to the male dollar higher than average? I seem to recall the average being in the 70's . . .

Posted by care bear on October 31, 2011 at 11:12 AM

That pumpkin yogurt business was actualy alright. I took it outside, to stand uncomfortably close to the Bike Coppers across the way there, and it still had the same amount of Pumpkin outside.

Posted by Residual on October 31, 2011 at 11:12 AM

Architects may be considered highly paid at $63k, but keep in mind two things:

1. You have to do a 3-year internship and pass a 7-part exam to be a registered architect, at which point your liability insurance requirement skyrockets, and

2. Unemployment in the architecture field is around 35% right now.

Posted by Donna on October 31, 2011 at 11:16 AM

The study is on salaries but most artists do not work for a salary. If it were based on wealth a few artists who are worth multimillions could skew the study for the vast majority who are barely surviving.

Posted by Alec Clayton on October 31, 2011 at 11:28 AM

From the source document:

The Artist Workforce: 2005-2009

Number Percent

All artists           2,099,394 100.0%

Actors           46,526 2.7%
Announcers           55,302 2.6%
Architects           203,272 8.9%
Dancers
and
choreographers           24,713 1.3%
Designers           828,747 38.8%
Fine artists,
art directors,
and animators           212,236 10.7%
Musicians           185,675 9.2%
Other entertainers           45,227 2.3%
Photographers           154,914 7.7%
Producers
and directors           145,014 6.4%
Writers and authors           197,768 9.6%

The data about musicians is fascinating because I just started reading the new book Before Seattle Rocked and it describes the period just before widespread recording when musician was working occupation, capable of supporting a home and family. Yet, this data suggests it continues to this day (?)

More...

Posted by Supreme Ruler Of The Universe

on October 31, 2011 at 11:53 AM

i didn't know that architects were artists - this door schedule sure doesn't feel like art!

Posted by Max Solomon on October 31, 2011 at 11:56 AM

gender wage gap: myth or reality?

Posted by aardvark on October 31, 2011 at 11:58 AM

@3 AND @6 - DON'T FORGET THE REQUISITE PROFESSIONAL DEGREE AND THE FACT THAT THEY FORCE YOU TO TYPE IN ALL-CAPS.

Posted by colinrichardson on October 31, 2011 at 12:00 PM

This is me not giving a shit about the low salaries of "artistes" too snooty to consider graphic artists, industrial or fashion designers, or architects to be "real" artists.

Posted by Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn on October 31, 2011 at 12:08 PM

Colin, no one forces you to type in all caps; you're clearly CAD-monkeying and forgot to turn of your capslock to post on Slog on office time ;-)

Inside drafting humor amongst architects: we're pathetic. Good thing we're paid so much.

Posted by Donna on October 31, 2011 at 12:11 PM

@9: THERE'S ART AND THEN THERE'S ART. LIKE THE ART OF CAKE DECORATING. NO ONE CAN TELL ANYONE THEY AREN'T AN ARTIST ANY MORE. IT'S SELF SELECTING.

YES, I'M IN REVIT RIGHT NOW HOW COULD YOU TELL?

Posted by Max Solomon on October 31, 2011 at 1:00 PM