Artistic activity and precariousness: the economic situation of artists in Spain from a global survey

VIII WORKSHOP EN ECONOMÍA Y GESTIÓN DE LA CULTURA (8WCEM)
15 y 16 de Marzo, 2018
Universidad de Sevilla
ACTIVIDAD ARTÍSTICA Y PRECARIEDAD: LA SITUACIÓN ECONÓMICA DE LOS/LAS
ARTISTAS EN ESPAÑA A PARTIR DE UN ESTUDIO GLOBAL
ARTISTIC ACTIVITY AND PRECARIOUSNESS: THE ECONOMIC SITUATION OF ARTISTS
IN SPAIN FROM A GLOBAL SURVEY
Marta Pérez Ibáñez
Isidro López-Aparicio

ARTISTIC ACTIVITY AND PRECARIOUSNESS:
THE ECONOMIC SITUATION OF ARTISTS IN SPAIN FROM A GLOBAL SURVEY 8WCEM
The purpose of our research:
The precariousness of the artist’s work in a global scale: references and studies.
The case of Spain: economic recession + lack of information on the Spanish artists and
their activity.
The “precariat” (Standing, 2013) and the “artistic biotope” (Gielen, 2014): cultural
artistic work in precariousness. The 21st Century artist: supporting the structures of
the art system with his/her work and economy.
Our research: a major primary source of information on this Spanish sector.

Grado de DISEÑO INDUSTRIAL
Y DESARROLLO DEL PRODUCTO
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Programa curso 2016-2017
The startup:
 Two researchers
 Two universities
 One research group
 One common purpose: our professional commitment
with the Spanish art system

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The definition of “professional artist” in the Spanish context:
 The concept of “artist”: from Frey y Pommerehne’s 8 criteria to Lena & Lindemann’s
5 professional frameworks (human capital, labor censuses and records, creative
industries, creative environments, self legitimation).
 The role of the professional associations and leagues in the definition of professional
artists.

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The definition of “professional artist” in the Spanish context:
 Our approach to the artist’s professionalization in the Spanish context:
 Artistic activity: production, exhibition, participation, cocreation…
 Relationship between artistic activity and income
 Professional legitimation from the art system

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The quantification of our object of study: approach to a census of artists in Spain:
 Our main drawback: the lack of censuses to identify that concept of “artist” and to
analyze their activity and their circumstances.
 The existing censuses in Spain are ambiguous in terms of definition: SEPE, CO-SISPE,
CNAE, IAE, Clasificación Internacional Uniforme de Ocupaciones 2008, ISCO-88…
 The existing literature (McAndrew, 2017; Eurostat, 2016; AAVC, 2006) + data in
censuses + databases from artistic associations = our proposal: aproximately 25,000
professional artists in Spain.

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The methodology:
 A multi-methodological approach: qualitative + quantitative.
 Over 1,100 artists participated in the survey: the most important primary source of
information (confidence level of 95%, maximum error of 3%).
 It involved all the sector: professional associations, institutions, curators,
influencers, scholars, the art market…
 The survey: 42 questions, classified in three groups…

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The artistic creation in Spain: general aspects

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The artists’ economy in Spain

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The relationship between Spanish artists and the art market

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“LA ACTIVIDAD ECONÓMICA DE LOS/LAS ARTISTAS EN ESPAÑA
Estudio y análisis”
 The research was first published in February 2017.
 The first survey on the Spanish artists’ economic situation in over ten
years.
 It shows the new ways of connecting between artists and the art market,
institutions, curators…

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE RESULTS

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APROXIMATE INCOM LEVEL (ALL ACTIVITIES INCLUDED)

PERCENTAGE OF INCOM FROM ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES

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PROFESSIONAL TAX STATUS

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NUMBER OF YEARS DEDICATED TO ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES

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NUMBER OF YEARS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM AS AN ARTIST

ARTISTS WHO HAVE EXHIBITED DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS
Any artworks sold?

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AVERAGE PRICE OF ARTWORKS SOLD

ART AND RESILIENCE…
INDEPENDENT ARTISTS’ ART FAIRS IN SPAIN: A CASE STUDY
ARTISTS WITH A STABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH ART GALLERIES SINCE 2008

ARTISTS WITH AVERAGE PRICES ABOVE 1.000,00 € AND
A STABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH ART GALLERIES

Good, I have long term comercial relations with galleries and / or dealers,
and it is my main source of incom
Good, I have long term comercial relations with galleries and / or dealers,
but I have an alternative source of incom out of the art market
Regular but satisfactory, I have sporadic commercial relations with
galleries and / or dealers and manage the rest of my commercial activity
Regular and unsatisfactory, I have sporadic commercial relationships with
galleries and / or dealers and I would like them to be more stable
I have no commercial relations with galleries or dealers, I manage my art
business successfully myself
I have no business relations with galleries or dealers, but I would like to
have them
HOW DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR CURRENT SITUATION, IN RELATION WITH THE ART MARKET?

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Programa curso 2016-2017 CONCLUSIONS

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The results of our research:
 The data obtained from the artists: not only quantitative, but qualitative, objective,
rigorous and accurate.
 The precariousness of the artist’s work: mainly freelancers and unemployed, low
income, scarce contribution to the SS System, uncertainty towards future subsidies…
 Yet, continuous activity: artists related with galleries and good market situation.
 The artist supports the whole art system with his/her resources.

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Our next steps:
 The second edition, updated and extended, will be published shortly.
 The collaboration, suggestions and good criteria of Prof. Juan de Dios Jiménez Aguilera,
PhD in Economic Sciences, has been fundamental to enrich this research.
 After one year of national and international presentations, we have established a close
qualitative contact with artists and reassured our conclusions.
 Future research: local data segmentation and analysis, young artists, women artists, etc.

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THANK YOU
Marta Pérez Ibáñez
Isidro López-Aparicio

Artistic activity and precariousness: the economic situation of artists in Spain from a global survey

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Artistic activity and precariousness: the economic situation of artists in Spain from a global survey