Recognising your achievements as an independent producer
By Grace Okereke
Independent arts managers are part of the backbone of the arts and cultural sector and are an important component to the ecology and success of the creative industries. However, we can often feel undervalued and dismissed by organisations, funders and, at times, artists. Much of this might stem from the fact that much of our work is intertwined with that of artists and artistic outputs, which easily masks the level and significance of our contributions. Speaking from my experience and dispelling the notion that we are there only to do the “paperwork” on behalf of artists, good arts managers are part of, or lead the development of, ideas, projects and concepts that shape the sector.
Many independent arts managers have a wide range and diverse portfolio of work experiences that usually consist of notable achievements to be proud of. But even with this, many of us struggle to make sense of our careers, and I personally find it hard to acknowledge my achievements. This is mainly because I never get a moment to take it in, as I work on multiple projects at a time – with no breaks in between. When I think about it, I realise I have found it hard to recognise within myself what success looks like.
The notion of success can be subjective, and for many years my measure was the ability to make a viable living as an independent arts manager. A low bar for some, but for me, with no other source of income, this was me “making it”. But this version of success came at a heavy cost. As I pushed myself and hustled my way through the industry, I found I couldn’t enjoy life, nor really afford it past paying the bills. So, although I reached the measure I set at that time, it felt like a false or hollow win.
Throughout my career I feel that I have experienced three elements that I constantly struggle with, and I think they skew my view of how successful I am. Whether on a rotating basis or simultaneously, I grapple with: Money – never earning enough to feel as if I can live comfortably; Professional Development – feeling the limitations of progression pathways; and Mental and Emotional Wellbeing – suffering breakdowns brought on through a combination of burnout and the previous two points on this list. At times, I feel as if I am stuck on Modus Survival and have no room for Modus Success.
Nonetheless, there are moments when income is stable and reflective of how much I work, the work I am carrying out is challenging me in a positive way, and my mental and emotional wellbeing is stable. In these moments, I am able to appreciate the hard work I have put in and, at times, reap the rewards. But even then, if you asked me if I felt successful, I would still hesitate to say yes, and I have three theories as to why this is:
- A lot of our work is intertwined with that of artists, so there is no real recognition of what we do, especially from venue organisations, who severely overlook how much weight is carried by the team around the artist. I also should note that funders and the funding system can also dismiss our value by not allowing us to untether our ability to fundraise apart from artists and artistic outputs. Cultural activities don’t run themselves, and most of the work we do happens outside of the funded period – so essentially most of us are working in-kind.
- Independent arts managers often feel as if we have no professional currency as we are not linked to anything that is of value to others, such as a venue or funding pots. The sector still places more importance on the actions of venues and regularly funded organisations over that of independent managers, who are equally important.
- For global majority managers, especially women who may work within a more cultural lens, there is often the feeling of being overlooked or passed by if what we do fails to be of interest to the taste-makers – whose tastes are often narrowly exclusive.
My takeaway is that all too often we place our level of success on how much others acknowledge us. This is, of course, a valid measure, as it can be tied into money and opportunities. However, most of us will never receive the accolades we so rightly deserve. Therefore, we must appreciate and celebrate ourselves, as the “Look of Success” is arguably designed and guarded by the few. It is time that we build a new metrics system for those of us who are the heartbeat of the sector.
Photo: Charlotte De Cort. Credit: Alesandra Seutin, GIANT.