New research reveals widespread underpayment of Australian craft and design practitioners

New national research has revealed the extent of unpaid and underpaid work across Australia's craft and design sector, raising serious concerns about the ability of practitioners to sustain professional careers.

The Australian Craft and Design Practitioner Survey, led by Australian Design Centre in collaboration with the Australian Craft and Design Centres (ACDC) network, National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) and Craft Australia, gathered responses from 850 practitioners across the country. The findings show that 68% of respondents received no artist fee for any exhibition in the past year, while 40% undertook unpaid or underpaid professional work for an organisation, institution or business. More than half (57%) earned less than $10,000 from their practice, including 29% who made a loss or earned no income at all.

NAVA Executive Director Penelope Benton said the findings were deeply concerning but reflected longstanding problems across the visual arts, craft and design sector.

"We cannot keep expecting visual artists and craft and design practitioners to contribute their time, expertise and labour without appropriate payment."

Benton acknowledged the financial challenges facing small-to-medium arts, craft and design organisations, with stagnant or reduced government funding, rising operating costs and growing public interest in visual arts and craft placing considerable strain on organisational budgets.

“Many organisations are working with stagnant or reduced funding as costs continue to rise, and I know how difficult that is. But practitioners cannot be the last people budgeted for and the first to have their fees cut when money is tight. If there isn't enough money to pay practitioners, there isn't enough money to deliver the program as planned.”

"Better funding for organisations and better payment for practitioners are not competing priorities. We need both. Governments must recognise the real cost of delivering programs, and organisations must make artist payments a priority from the outset."

The findings point to the need for sustained and appropriately indexed government investment in craft and design, alongside stronger expectations around payment and working conditions. The survey report recommends that publicly funded arts organisations be required to pay artists in accordance with NAVA's recommended Payment Standards, a measure NAVA has consistently advocated for.

The survey also raises concerns about superannuation. Of respondents who undertook unpaid or underpaid professional work, 82% received no superannuation for any of that work, with another 11% receiving it for only some. Organisations need to budget for the full cost of engaging practitioners, including superannuation where applicable.

"NAVA's Payment Standards are endorsed by the Australian Government, but that doesn't mean everyone is using them. We want to see payment at these rates become a requirement for publicly funded organisations, with enough funding to make that possible. When budgets are constrained, organisations may need to reduce the scale of their programs rather than expecting practitioners to work for less."

Half of the practitioners surveyed remain optimistic about their future in craft and design, recognising the sector's strengths and opportunities for growth. The research found a desire for greater support, connection and collaboration, more equitable access to exhibitions and commissions, and stronger recognition of specialist skills through education, training and career pathways.

"What stands out is the commitment practitioners continue to bring to their work, even under very difficult circumstances. There is enormous skill, knowledge and ambition across Australia's craft and design sector. We need to match that commitment with the investment and working conditions that allow people to build lasting careers."

NAVA welcomes the report as an important contribution to national advocacy and acknowledges Australian Design Centre's leadership in delivering the research as a legacy project following 62 years of supporting Australian craft and design.