Artists, like professionals in other fields, should be paid for their work.
The CARFAC minimum fee schedule is sort of like a minimum wage for artists. It sets minimum recommended rates for the use of artwork and certain services that visual artists provide.
Widely recognized as the national standard, rates are all recommendations. That said, many arts councils require that public galleries pay artist’s fees as a condition of their funding. And artists have rights that help them to get paid.
For example, did you know that when your work is exhibited and it’s not for sale, you are supposed to be paid? Unless you have signed over the copyright, no one can exhibit or copy your work without your permission. This is your negotiating trump card – you can always walk away if you don’t like the conditions under which you are being asked to work.
Minimum Rates
It’s also important to note that all rates are minimums – CARFAC encourages artists to ask for more.
The fee schedule itself is a complicated document with many tables and notes. This is because the work that artists do simply won’t fit into one or two boxes. Be sure to read all the notes in the relevant section – they can sometimes change the rates depending on the circumstances.