Christmas with no panto?! Shockingly low pay for actors, writers and artists poses existential threat

Imagine, now, a world where these pleasures as we know and love them aren’t available. The theatres fall quiet, stages empty and gather dust. That’s the reality facing the UK’s creative industries as our creators are increasingly forced out of their profession through a pattern of low pay and poor working conditions.

But can we save the holiday season for creators? Since 2006, the University of Glasgow’s CREATe centre has been conducting research on creators’ earnings to gain a better understanding of their lived reality. We’ve looked at authors, journalists, visual artists and actors, and across all sectors our findings are alarmingly consistent: earnings are unsustainably low.

Well below minimum wage

In every sector we’ve studied, it is increasingly difficult to earn a living through creative work alone. In 2022, we found that authors earned a typical income of just £7,000 a year from their writing (a decrease of 38 per cent since our last survey in 2018). In our most recent report, visual artists aren’t much better off at £12,500. Even relatively ‘healthier’ typical incomes – £17,500 a year for both actors and freelance journalists – are well below the minimum wage in the UK.

Because of this (very) low-income profile, earnings for these workers must be supplemented with another source. This often means a second ‘day job’ – some work in a supermarket, a café, while others bring food to our door via popular apps. Otherwise, another member of the household must keep them afloat.

Inevitably, this means that only those who can ‘afford’ to create continue to do so, and it’s unsurprising that most creators come from more privileged socio-economic backgrounds, having parents in upper-level management, or the equivalent.

London-centric world

Location plays a crucial role in shaping opportunities for creators, with an unusually high concentration in London – half of performers and three-quarters of authors are based in the UK capital. While London offers greater access to opportunities and support, it doesn’t necessarily translate to higher earnings. Instead, the city’s high cost of living makes financial stability more difficult to achieve – something that’s usually offset by the London weighting.

These findings have worrying implications not just for working-class creators, but also anyone from a less privileged background – people of colour, and those with disabilities, are paid far less than is typical and are more prone to exploitative practices. If we want to continue to enjoy access to our plethora of books, TV shows, games or music – all of which we would hope to be made by fairly paid people who reflect the rich diversity of our society– something must change. However, the solution is far less straightforward than the problem and the reasons behind creators' declining earnings require a nuanced approach.

In today’s highly digital world, becoming a creator has never been easier – at least in theory. The tools to produce and publish content are more accessible than ever before, opening the door for anyone to share their work with the world.

Systemic, exploitative practices

Yet many creators assume their work will find success in the open market, only to be met with disappointing results. The reception of creative work is, by nature, unpredictable: multi-million-pound productions can be box-office flops, and obscure book titles can become overnight bestsellers. This is an inherent feature of creative markets and part of what makes them so appealing to creators. While policy can address structural issues, it cannot change this fundamental uncertainty, which is both a challenge and a draw for those who choose to create.

On the other hand, we do have evidence of systemic, exploitative practices and industry norms that can artificially constrain creators’ earning potential. Many of these issues are perpetuated by industry gatekeepers – production companies, publishing houses, or streaming platforms – who can seek to capitalise on a surplus of workers by offering unfair terms of work.

Most creators are offered these terms on an ‘agree or walk away’ basis, with no room for negotiation on key issues of pay, working conditions, or future securities (like, for example, royalties or residuals). This means that less established creators often agree to unfavourable terms for fear of losing precious work and being labelled as ‘troublemakers’, perpetuating a vicious cycle.

Saving future Christmases

You might wonder: how can we address these challenges? The UK’s neoliberal, ‘hands-off’ approach to regulating the creative economy stands in contrast to countries that have taken a more proactive stance in safeguarding creators. For instance, even in the USA – often seen as a bastion of free-market principles – the 2023 Sag-Aftra strikes marked the largest withdrawal of creative labour in screenwriting history. The strike was largely successful, securing better terms with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and demonstrating the power of collective action.

There are also ‘softer’ policy options being adopted elsewhere. In 2019, the European Union introduced legislation mandating fair remuneration for creators, ensuring they are compensated when their work is used, such as in film or television. France has distinct labour regulations recognising the unique nature of creative work. Its ‘intermittents du spectacle’ system provides unemployment insurance for creators, compensating for the irregular income that is common in the performing arts industry.

This is just a taster of the ways that policymakers can look to save the Christmases to come, ensuring that through the long winter nights, and in the wake of December’s chill, we can continue to enjoy creative works. And in that future, we need the knowledge that our creators can come in from the cold too – fully and fairly paid.

Dr Amy Thomas and Dr Arthur Ehlinger, Centre for Regulation of the Creative Economy (CREATe) at the University of Glasgow