The Living and Working Conditions of Artists in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland Version) Commissioned by: Prepared by: with Dr. Clare McAndrew Cathie McKimm April 2010 Table of Contents PREFACE ............................................................................................................................................... 4 SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS – NORTHERN IRELAND .......................................................... 5 A. BACKGROUND AND APPROACH TO THE STUDY ........................................................................... 5 B. EDUCATION AND TRAINING ........................................................................................................ 6 C. WORK PATTERNS AND UNEMPLOYMENT .................................................................................... 8 D. INCOMES AND STANDARDS OF LIVING ...................................................................................... 10 E. TAX, INSURANCE AND REGULATORY CONTEXT ........................................................................ 12 F. ARTISTS’ OVERALL VIEWS ON THEIR CAREERS ........................................................................ 13 G. CONCLUDING REMARKS ........................................................................................................... 14 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 16 1.1 STUDY BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES ................................................................................... 16 1.2 ARTISTS COVERED BY THE STUDY ............................................................................................ 17 1.3 RESEARCH APPROACH .............................................................................................................. 18 1.4 STRUCTURE OF REPORT ............................................................................................................ 19 CHAPTER 2: INTERNATIONAL STUDIES ON ARTISTS’ LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS ...................................................................................................................................... 21 2.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 21 2.2 EDUCATION AND TRAINING ...................................................................................................... 23 2.3 EMPLOYMENT, WORK AND UNEMPLOYMENT ........................................................................... 25 2.4 INCOME ..................................................................................................................................... 29 2.5 GENDER, AGE AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF ARTISTS ...................................................... 30 2.6 CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................... 32 CHAPTER 3: INTERNATIONAL SCHEMES TO SUPPORT ARTISTS ..................................... 35 3.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 35 3.2 TAXATION SCHEMES ................................................................................................................. 35 3.3 SOCIAL WELFARE SCHEMES RELATING TO WORK AND UNEMPLOYMENT ................................. 40 3.4 MEASURES RELATING TO PENSIONS AND RETIREMENT ............................................................. 42 3.5 OTHER DIRECT AND INDIRECT STATE SUPPORTS FOR ARTISTS ................................................. 43 3.6 CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................... 47 CHAPTER 4: ARTS AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTEXTS IN REPUBLIC OF IRELAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND ............................................................................................................ 48 4.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 48 4.2 ARTS REGULATORY AND SUPPORT FRAMEWORK – REPUBLIC OF IRELAND .............................. 48 4.3 ARTS REGULATORY AND SUPPORT FRAMEWORK – NORTHERN IRELAND ................................. 55 4.4 BROADER ROLE OF THE ARTS .............................................................................................. 61 4.5 PREVIOUS RESEARCH ON ARTISTS IN IRELAND ......................................................................... 64 4.6 CHANGING SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................... 66 4.7 CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................... 67 CHAPTER 5: SURVEY POPULATION AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ARTISTS ............................................................................................................................................... 68 5.1 ESTIMATING THE SURVEY POPULATION .................................................................................... 68 5.2 SAMPLE OF ARTISTS SURVEYED ............................................................................................... 70 5.3 DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ARTISTS ........................................................................ 72 5.4 ARTIST POPULATION AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS: KEY FINDINGS ......................... 80 CHAPTER 6: LEVELS OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING ......................................................... 82 6.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 82 6.2 EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF ARTISTS ................................................................................... 82 6.3 CONTINUING EDUCATION, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT ....................................................... 86 6.4 EDUCATION AND TRAINING: KEY FINDINGS ............................................................................. 91 2 CHAPTER 7: WORK PATTERNS AND UNEMPLOYMENT ...................................................... 93 7.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 93 7.2 WORK PATTERNS ...................................................................................................................... 93 7.3 WORK MOBILITY OF ARTISTS ................................................................................................. 102 7.4 USE OF TECHNOLOGY BY ARTISTS .......................................................................................... 106 7.5 PRACTICAL ORGANISATION OF ARTISTIC WORK .................................................................... 110 7.6 EXPERIENCE OF UNEMPLOYMENT ........................................................................................... 112 7.7 WORK PATTERNS AND UNEMPLOYMENT: KEY FINDINGS ....................................................... 117 CHAPTER 8: INCOME AND STANDARD OF LIVING .......................................................... 120 8.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 120 8.2 LEVELS OF INCOME ................................................................................................................. 120 8.3 OTHER INFORMATION ON ARTIST INCOMES ............................................................................ 138 8.4 OTHER MEASURES OF STANDARD OF LIVING .......................................................................... 142 8.5 PENSIONS AND HEALTH INSURANCE ....................................................................................... 147 8.6 INCOME AND STANDARD OF LIVING: KEY FINDINGS .............................................................. 152 CHAPTER 9: OTHER ASPECTS OF ARTISTS’ WORKING LIVE .......................................... 154 9.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 154 9.2 TAXATION ............................................................................................................................... 154 9.3 INSURANCE ............................................................................................................................. 159 9.4 REGULATORY AND LEGAL ENVIRONMENT .............................................................................. 160 9.5 ACCESS TO EXPERT ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE ....................................................................... 163 9.6 OTHER ASPECTS OF ARTISTS’ WORKING LIVES: KEY FINDINGS ............................................. 164 CHAPTER 10: REFLECTIONS ON CAREERS AND DEVELOPMENT NEEDS .................... 166 10.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 166 10.2 CHOICE OF CAREER ............................................................................................................ 166 10.3 FACTORS HOLDING BACK PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ................................................. 169 10.4 DEVELOPMENT NEEDS ....................................................................................................... 171 10.5 FINAL COMMENTS BY ARTISTS .........................................................................................