Freelancing Q&A (a ‘how to’ guide for new freelancers)
Culture Collective training is completely flexible, developed to meet the needs of the people and projects involved. Training takes a range of styles and formats. We like to make the most of the expertise that exists within the network, as well as inviting people from beyond to add additional perspectives. We’re also keen to make this learning available as widely as we can.
In August 2021 we held a Q&A discussion on the ‘how to’ of freelancing, a behind the scenes look at everything from contracts and invoicing, to pensions and maternity leave, to managing expectations and work-life balance. This session emerged in response to demand from the cohort of early-career artists within the network.
We invited a panel of experienced freelancers to share their lived experience, knowledge and expertise with those at an earlier stage in their journey, and to highlight resources they’d found helpful along the way. Our panel of experienced freelancers were:
- Lou Brodie: freelance applied artist, performance maker and project manager.
- Heather Parry: writer, and (most recently) author of The Illustrated Freelancer’s Guide.
- Lauren Hendry: arts producer, and project manager for the Highland Culture Collective.
Here, we’re sharing the questions that emerged from our early-career artists (anonymised to protect the privacy of those taking part), as well as the experience and useful resources shared by our panel during the session. We hope these notes are helpful for those new to – or just exploring – a freelance career.
