The Value of an Artist

by Carlos Giménez

In our society, the work involved in being a musician or involved in the arts is at best gruesome. Most musicians need to be constantly looking for "gigs" in order to support themselves. Most have no insurance, medical or otherwise, and those who opt to buy their own insurance have to pay between $180 to $300 per month for minimum coverage. Playing in a restaurant or bar will pay about $60 - $80 per night, barely enough to make ends meet. And, because they frequently lack a contract, they have no protection against not getting paid or waiting forever to get paid.

The performance that the audience sees on stage is only a small portion of the musician's work, considering the time needed to prepare. Most musicians practice very hard, and, to perform, must carry their equipment from place to place. Even though the actual performance may only last 1 or 2 hours, the amount of work devoted to perform takes many hours of preparation.

So what’s the real value of a performance by an artist? How should the work done by the performer be valued? The same rules that apply to other professionals should apply, as when one hires a lawyer or a plumber. There is a fixed value for the services, according to the market itself. And professional musicians will charge accordingly, always based on providing good service.

That’s why it’s a contradiction to expect a good performance if the artist is not properly remunerated. What consumers need to understand is that people become musicians because it’s their vocation, and it’s a job that they need to make a living at. As for the musicians, this situation shows the need to form associations and groups that can bargain and defend the rights of musicians as laborers. That’s a definite necessity.