Photo Museum Ireland - Artist Payment Policy 

Photo Museum Ireland is committed to the principle of fair remuneration for professional artists.  An artist’s ability to sustain a viable career within their chosen discipline is an essential feature of a healthy arts ecology.

Valuing Artists

• We value the work that artists create, and the way in which they represent and contribute to the photographic culture of the nation. 

• We also emphasise equitable remuneration because we are committed to equality and diversity in the arts. 

• We wish to ensure that a diversity of voices is represented within the arts.

• We are committed to investing in photography across the island of Ireland and regularly seek additional funding to support artists in the development of their practices and their engagement with the community and special interest groups.

Paying Artists

• We acknowledge that underpaid or unpaid contributions of artists represent a hidden subsidy to the cultural life of Ireland; we recognise that this is unfair and unsustainable.

• We aspire to the position that best practice, not minimum standards, should apply to the remuneration and contracting of artists.

• We strive to be transparent in our communications with artists so as to ensure clarity from both perspectives on both the ask and offer and to allow artists a voice in negotiating terms and conditions. 

• We are also committed to supporting the development of great art through the provision of high spec. production studios, training, commissions, residencies and other professional development supports.

• We keep abreast of best practices and standards recommended by representative and resource organisations and utilise available toolkits and resources to support the contracting process. 

• We put in place appropriate contractual arrangements for artists to benefit from the future exploitation of their work through any touring hire fees arising. 

Respecting Artists

• We ensure that artists’ fees are ring-fenced within project budgets so as to ensure they are protected against budget overruns in other areas.

• We ensure that artists’ copyright is respected, both in terms of moral and economic rights.

1.1 Fees for Artists Exhibiting in Photo Museum Ireland’s Exhibition Programme :

• We have set the fee for artists exhibiting new work in a solo exhibition at €4,000 for 2022. 

• In the case of group exhibitions, fees for exhibiting artists are allocated with reference to the proportional contributions made by the exhibitors and are calculated with reference to Visual Artists Ireland guidelines.

• In the case of touring exhibitions - both those we originate and those we collaborate on in a non-lead role - fees for exhibiting artists are set out in a Touring Partnership agreement.

• We issue exhibition contracts that outline the full scope of what an artist is expected and required to deliver, exhibitor fees, timescales, production budgets and exhibition budgets. 

• This differentiates between fees and expenses, including per diems or other relevant payments; it is clear how and when payments will be made. 

1.2 Artists participating in Engagement activities:

• Professional artists giving a programmed talk receive a fee of €150. For artists contributing to shorter panel discussions, we pay a fee of €80.

• We cover the costs of public transport. Where this is not available, we pay petrol expenses.

1.3. Employment of Artists as Independent Contractors on Training Courses:

• We are committed to providing employment for artists on our training courses. We pay a minimum of €45.50 per hour

• A further payment of €100 is payable towards the development cost of new courses.

1.4 We purchase prints & acquire prints from artists for the National Photography Collections:

• Payments are by arrangement with each artist

This policy will be reviewed annually in February each year. Approved in principle by the Board of Directors: 30 August 2019.
Reviewed July 2022