Recapping our advocacy work a year on from the UK Visual Artists’ Earnings and Contracts Report 2024
As the report reaches its first anniversary, we’re reflecting on the key advocacy initiatives that have taken place since its publication.
It’s been a year since the University of Glasgow, commissioned by DACS, released its report revealing just how sharply earnings have fallen for visual artists in the UK. Published in The Guardian at the time, the UK Visual Artists’ Earnings and Contracts Report 2024 drew on responses from over 1,200 artists - from photographers and illustrators to painters and sculptors - offering a bleak picture of the financial pressures facing the sector.
What did the report show us?
Despite being a year old, the figures remain as important as ever, shaping ongoing conversations about artists’ pay, sustainable careers and the improvements needed to shape a better creative industry. Some of the key findings include:
- Median income for visual artists is £12,500 a year, a 47% decrease since 2010.
- Significant disparities in pay across demographics, with women and other genders earning 40% less than men and disabled artists earning a median of just £3,750.
- Over 80% of artists describe their earnings are 'unstable' or 'very unstable'.
What have we achieved since the report?
As part of DACS’ ongoing advocacy work, we’ve been involved in a number of key initiatives and developments that aim to better the outlook and landscape for visual artists in the UK.
January
At the start of 2025, the APPG for Visual Arts and Artists discussed falling remuneration for artists, including the UK Visual Artists’ Earnings and Contracts Report that published a couple months prior. The group were joined by Dr. Amy Thomas, and Dr. Arthur Ehlinger, lead researchers on the project, who highlighted the key findings from the report.
Later that month, Polly Billington MP highlighted the report during a general debate on the Creative Industries in the House of Commons, emphasising the need to improve the remuneration for those who create the culture.
March
Following the Copyright and AI Consultations, DACS put forward some key recommendations to the government that drew on another report in 2024, ‘Artificial Intelligence and Artists’ Work’.
These include rejecting an extended text and data mining exception in favour of collective and transactional licensing, supported by transparency rules requiring AI developers to disclose the copyright-protected works used to train and deploy their models.
April
Ahead of the UK Government’s Spending Review - DACS was involved in a new report, Framing the Future: The Political Case for Strengthening the Visual Arts Ecosystem, that was launched at the House of Commons.
Backed by the APPG for Visual Arts & Artists, the report set out four recommendations to strengthen the visual arts and three ways the sector could support the government’s core missions.
Commissioned by CVAN Contemporary Visual Arts Network and John Hansard Gallery, part of the University of Southampton, in collaboration with a-n The Artists Information Company, DACS and Plus Tate, this sector-wide report developed and written by Erksine Analysis puts forward the economic, cultural and social case for strategic investment in the visual arts.
June
In June, Jo Platt MP - a member of the APPG for Visual Arts and Artists - held a roundtable with artists and organisations from Leigh and Wigan, giving them the opportunity to share their experiences and challenges directly with their parliamentary representative.
In Parliament, there was an important update with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport releasing their Creative Industries Sector Plan, outlining the government’s 10-year economic plans. The plan highlighted the visual arts as a high-growth subsector and included a Creative Freelance Champion, an appointment that DACS and Creative UK had been actively calling for.
July
The APPG for Visual Arts and Artists held another session, meeting with speakers from Creative Land Trust and East Street Arts to discuss issues around studio space affordability and sustainability. The discussion pointed to place-based approaches, investment, and partnerships as key ways to protect creative spaces. Both speakers noted that studios are more than workrooms - they’re essential to cultural and economic life.
Later that month, it was announced that the UK Government will introduce new cross-sector working groups on AI and copyright, bringing together voices from across industries to shape future policy. It was confirmed that DACS, representing visual artists in the UK, will take part in discussions on crucial issues such as transparency, consent, and licensing, promoting a balanced and future-focused approach that safeguards artists’ rights while supporting responsible and ethical AI development.
The news around a Creative Freelance Champion was also mentioned during the House of Lords debate on the Employment Rights Bill.
September
Over 70 of the UK’s leading creators and creative organisations, including DACS, have signed an open letter to the Prime Minister calling for stronger copyright protections. Signatories include major industry bodies such as the News Media Association, UK Music, Pan Macmillan, and Getty Images, alongside prominent artists across the creative sector.
The letter stresses the need for clearer enforcement of copyright, ensuring creators retain control over their work, and addressing the challenges posed by emerging technologies like AI.
November
Most recently, representatives from Social Purpose Lab at UAL and Artquest met with the APPG for Visual Arts and Artists in Parliament to present findings from their new ‘Who gets to be an artist?’ report.
It raises the areas of inequalities that would need to be addressed if the Government were to grow the visual arts sector, as set out in the Creative Industries Sector Plan.
What’s next?
As a new year approaches, DACS continues to champion visual artists, making sure their voices reach the right people in the right forums.
With ongoing changes in policy and technology, DACS remains dedicated to promoting fairness, transparency, and recognition for the artists who shape our culture and economy.
