Part 1: Introduction
1 Ready
Each career in the arts is unique; yet, while no two artist’s individual skills, environment, and ambitions may be precisely aligned, arts professionals tend to report using entrepreneurial skills during their career.
Before beginning an entrepreneurial venture, prospective entrepreneurs are encouraged to self-assess their commitment to their venture, their passion for what they will be doing, their tolerance for the risk inherent in a start-up venture, and their competencies in filling the various roles an entrepreneur must fill. While such an assessment is valuable to an artist, a more realistic starting point is: “do I need my art in my life?”.
Many artists have had successful careers by answering “yes” and trusting that the art itself will solve the basic problems of gainful employment, financial and personal stability, and artistic fulfillment; and, many artists have driven themselves away from the arts by failing to plan ahead for gainful employment, financial security, and a balance of fulfilling and practical work in the arts.
This text is designed to progress through the practical impact of a career in the arts on personal finance by examining both actionable steps and theoretical concepts, in hopes of addressing the oft-heard lament: “I wish I learned this in school.”