In May 2019, Creative New Zealand released research undertaken in partnership with NZ On Air titled A Profile of Creative Professionals. To better understand barriers to sustaining a creative career, the research asked around 1500 people working in creative professions questions about their income, training, means of support and wellbeing.

The creative professionals who took part in the research told us that:

• most have difficulty making a sustainable living from their principal artform or creative practice
• the median income from creative work alone is $15,000 per year
• most (63 percent) do not feel that their remuneration is fair
• they rely on other sources of financial support or ‘safety nets’, such as their partner’s income, noncreative work or savings, and most cannot dedicate as much time to their creative practice as they would like
• satisfaction with their career was lower than that for all working New Zealanders (53 percent and 66 percent respectively).

Creative New Zealand is now asking for feedback on a draft remuneration policy to support the development of more sustainable careers for artists and arts practitioners. The draft policy proposes a set of principles aimed at ensuring fair remuneration for artists and arts practitioners for the work they do. Remuneration includes money paid for work or a service. This could include: pay, salary, wages, fees, allowances, benefits and non-cash incentives as well as income derived from rights or royalties.

This document outlines:

1. The background to developing the proposed remuneration policy, including the research, consultation and actions already taken by Creative New Zealand

2. The proposed principles and scope of the policy

3. Why the remuneration policy is important: – for artists and arts practitioners – for Creative New Zealand – in the wider context, including government and non-government

• in the context of a fairer work environment being driven by the public sector
• international policies