FRANK Tools

Fair Practice is composed of fair remuneration, fair working conditions, fair contracts, and fair representation. In the current discourse around fair practice, FRANK recognises the pressing need for a shift in mindset within the arts ecosystem.

FRANK’s research underscores prevalent issues in the industry including:

Lack of recognition of artists as professionals, leading to underpayment or no payment
Lack of understanding on the amount of artistic labour that goes into a project
Lack of confidence/experience to negotiate better pay or working conditions

Throughout 2023 and 2024, FRANK has been developing FRANK Tools in conversation with and feedback from FRANK Members. This collaborative approach has been crucial to ensure the relevance of FRANK Tools across different organisational frameworks and the diverse creative practices. As FRANK Members begin to use FRANK tools, FRANK will continue to gather feedback to assess their effectiveness and make necessary adjustments.

FRANK Principles & Guidance

FRANK provides a set of seven principles that inform the foundations of fair practice in the arts.

Each principle is accompanied by guidelines that unpack steps to building a fairer practice. To achieve a strong level of fairness in the arts FRANK recommends a set of seven principles:

Fair Pay: Artists, irrespective of their employment classification, earn a decent income that is paid on time for all work completed.
Professional Recognition: Artists are recognised as professionals in their own right.
Transparency: Artists are engaged in a transparent, efficient and clear work relationship with institutions, organisations and other employers.
Accountability and Responsibility: Artists are engaged in a reliable and documented due process for decisions and outcomes.
Inclusiveness: Artists are provided a public platform with proactive measures that protect and promote artistic expression.
Equity: Artists are provided equal opportunities, irrespective of their socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds and unique individual needs.
Conscientiousness: Artists are engaged in supportive and candid environments to deliver their work well and thoroughly.

FRANK Principles & Guidance supports artists, and commissioning bodies (curators, art institutions, funding bodies, collectors, local councils, etc) in practising fairness and integrity when engages in a collaboration.

FRANK PRINCIPLES 1) Fair Pay: Artists, irrespective of their employment classification, earn a decent income that is paid on time for all work completed. 2) Professional Recognition: Artists are recognised as professionals in their own right. 3) Transparency: Artists are engaged in a transparent, efficient and clear work relationship with institutions, organisations and other employers. 4) Accountability and Responsibility: Artists are engaged in a reliable and documented due process for decisions and outcomes. 5) Inclusiveness: Artists are provided a public platform with proactive measures that protect and promote artistic expression. 6) Equity: Artists are provided equal opportunities, irrespective of their socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds and unique individual needs. 7) Conscientiousness: Artists are engaged in supportive and candid environments to deliver their work well and thoroughly.

Fair Pay: Artists, irrespective of their employment classification, earn a decent income that is paid on time for all work completed. 1) Fair Pay is direct and, in the present, not indirect and in the future. 2) Fair Pay is acknowledging artists for their intellectual and creative endeavour, professionalism, time and labour in money. 3) Fair Pay is not interchangeable with promises of non-monetary benefits (visibility, wider recognition, etc.) or future opportunities (future exhibitions, acquisition of work, etc.) that might arise during or in the aftermath of completed work. 4) Fair Pay is accurate remuneration of the actual value of work agreed upon by all parties instead of fixed amounts or abstract lump sums that have been predetermined. 5) Fair Pay is representative of the specific expenses of working with an artist. The pay may include but is not limited to creative conceptual fee, production fee, materials fee, administration and collaboration fees for meetings, alongside time invested in preparation and administration (email correspondence, installation and de-installation, exhibition literature). 6) Fair Pay is a mutual agreement on payment schedules and on-time payments. Note: See FRANK Conceptual Fair Pay Calculator for Guideline No. 5.

Professional Recognition: Artists are recognised as professionals in their own right. 1) Fair Practice is recognising artists as creative professionals. 2) Fair Practice is considering the artist's vision, professional experience and recommendations to deliver at the desired level of complexity. 3) Fair Practice is providing decent remuneration at commensurate levels to other equivalent professions. 4) Fair Practice is accounting for all the active hours worked and work-related* costs. 5) Fair Practice is agreeing on a fair rate of pay with the artist. 6) Fair Practice is recognising the need for financial compensation** for any additional commitments from the artist, including gala dinners, presentations and studio visits for funders.

Continuation of Professional Recognition 7) Fair Practice is not asking artists for artworks to support the exhibition (through sales) or the institution (through acquisitions). 8) Fair Practice is accounting for an equal share of profits*** through any commercial enterprises (editions, merchandise, etc.) between the artist and the institution. Note: See FRANK X Canvas Art Law Exhibition Questionnaire for Guideline No. 5. * Work-related costs include studio rent, utilities, IT and computer costs, administration and accountancy costs, business rates, and professional insurance. ** Financial compensation includes child care, travel expenses, access needs and additional hours worked. *** Profit is the remaining sum after the expenses of the artist and the institution (framing, shipping, administration, etc.) are deducted from the earned income.

Transparency: Artists are engaged in a transparent and concise work relationship with institutions. 1) Fair Practice is clearly outlining the terms and conditions of working together. 2) Fair Practice is ensuring transparent, efficient and clear processes in working with artists. 3) Fair Practice is providing clarity on budgets, timelines and expectations, and sharing these documents when requested. 4) Fair Practice is using clearly written and mutually agreed contracts, consistent with the terms of engagement. 5) Fair Practice is taking accountability in cases where complex contracts are necessary and covering legal advice expenses for the artist. 6) Fair Practice is not enforcing confidentiality around budgets and fees. 7) Fair Practice is expanding the principle of transparency to all operational fronts (starting with salary bands, fees, etc.) and making it always accessible.

Accountability and Responsibility: Artists are engaged in a reliable documented due process for decisions and outcomes. 1) Fair Practice is clearly outlining due processes in engaging artists for work. 2) Fair Practice is arriving at a joint agreement* on roles and responsibilities before starting a collaboration. 3) Fair Practice is building mutually considerate and timely communication through agreed communication channels. 4) Fair Practice is being accountable for providing decisions on agreed timelines. 5) Fair Practice is building transparent working conditions that will allow both parties to attend to any changes (production, funding, staff, etc.) and nexpected costs in good time. 6) Fair Practice is taking responsibility for the actualisation of production processes to progress assuredly towards the delivery of the project. 7) Fair Practice is delivering the project within agreed-upon timelines.

Continuation of Accountability and Responsibility 8) Fair Practice is not expecting parties to deliver on each other’s behalf. ** 9) Fair Practice is appointing key contacts*** and upholding commitment throughout the process to ensure clarity and operational efficiency. 10) Fair Practice is documenting due processes for decisions affecting the collaboration and working towards equitable outcomes for both parties. Note: See FRANK X Canvas Art Law Exhibition Questionnaire for Guideline No. 2. * Joint agreement includes but is not limited to the administration of communication, outline of available resources, and clarity on decision-making and due process. ** These include not expecting artists to cover budget shortfalls by reducing their fees or allocated production costs for the artwork. And not expecting artists to produce work on time and within budget when the institution has not fulfilled its responsibilities; as well as not expecting institutions to progress with the project where the artist has not provided any key decisions or fulfilled their commitments. *** Key contacts are recommended to be two members of the team from the institution and one (or two if available) from the artist studio, in case the first point of contact needs to take a leave of absence, the second key contact can step in to continue the engagement smoothly.

Inclusiveness: Artists are provided a public platform with proactive measures that protect and promote artistic expression. 1) Fair Practice is taking proactive measures to protect and promote diverse artistic expression. 2) Fair Practice is identifying the needs of the artist that might be different from the assumptions of the institution. * 3) Fair Practice is mutually building constructive ways of working together with clarity on priorities, milestones, and deliverables. 4) Fair Practice is taking a flexible approach towards the identification of project timelines and deliverables (meetings, installation days, preview dates, etc). 5) Fair Practice is using clear language and providing accessible communication in all areas of the collaboration, from emails to briefing documents and contracts, offering alternative formats where needed. 6) Fair Practice is acknowledging the impact that the collaboration might have on the artists, the institution and the visitors.** 7) Fair Practice is enhancing solidarity and consciousness across the sector for best practices for all.*** Note: * Time that is needed for research, development and planning required by both the artist and the institution might be different. Artist personal welfare plans (Access Riders) can be placed in use to ensure all welfare/care needs. ** The making of artwork and presenting it to public opinion can have a life-changing impact on individuals, both as creators and visitors. *** Best practices include acknowledging and crediting everyone crucial in the realisation of the delivery of the project (studio assistants, fabricators, technicians, etc.)

Equity: Artists are provided equal opportunities, irrespective of their socioeconomic, cultural backgrounds and unique individual needs. 1) Fair Practice is employing an impartial approach to working with artists from all backgrounds.* 2) Fair Practice is ensuring similar and consistent engagement with artists from diverse backgrounds and needs and commitments. 3) Fair Practice is providing artists with access to the same resources, irrespective of the pre-existing barriers and privileges. 4) Fair practice is providing engagement possibilities for artists from all backgrounds and needs, considering different communication and planning requirements. 5) Fair Practice is operating on an accessible and identifiable policy around working with artists, with a special emphasis on their needs and protected characteristics. 6) Fair Practice is advancing clarity, openness and engagement in all aspects of the project, inclusive of everyone being involved. ** 7) Fair Practice is recognition and support of non-traditional and emerging art forms, including interdisciplinary practices. Note: * Artists may have diverse socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicities, disabilities or health conditions, caring responsibilities and other work commitments. This includes artists who are self-taught or from alternative arts-education backgrounds. ** Everyone includes but is not limited to artists, members of staff, fabricators, supporters, lenders, funders, and the audience.

Conscientiousness: Artists are engaged in supportive and candid environments to deliver their work well and thoroughly. 1) Fair Practice is building honest and candid work relationships. 2) Fair Practice is cultivating a safe environment that fosters open discussion and generous listening. 3) Fair Practice is acknowledging that ambition involves risks and requires shared responsibility. 4) Fair Practice is responding with tolerance to mistakes that may emerge throughout the collaboration. 5) Fair Practice is cultivating mutual growth opportunities and engaging in review and reflection processes, encouraging accountability for actions. 6) Fair Practice is producing detailed and informed plans to ensure financial, emotional and social certainty for efficient use of time and budgets available. 7) Fair practice is accounting for the financial conditions of all parties involved, sensitively. ** Note: * Candid work relationships are crucial to psychological safety, recognising the importance of mental well-being within a collaboration, and encouraging a culture of openness allowing all parties to express their needs without stigma. ** Financial conditions are unique to all and cannot be categorised at ease. For instance, commercial representation may not be an indicator of financial success for an artist (who may be relying on social benefits); heightened visibility may not be an indicator of financial stability for an institution.

FRANK Fair Pay Calculator

FRANK Fair Pay Calculator is developed as a tool to provide clarity and awareness to the working relationship between artists and commissioning bodies, with the goal to deviate from pre-assigned lump sums or non-existent fees for artists.

FRANK approaches fair remuneration from a holistic perspective. FRANK Fair Pay Calculator takes artists and commissioning bodies through 10 stages of artistic involvement in a project, including Invitation, Pre-production, Production, Installation & Deinstallation, Communications & Marketing, Shipping & Packing, Debrief and Admin. From simple to complex loans, adaptation of existing works and new commissions, FRANK Fair Pay Calculator estimates a total number of days that an artist will require to complete an agreement with a commissioning body, accounting for the hours invested at each stage. In addition, FRANK Fair Pay Calculator provides a proportionate result of professional working days on an annual basis.

FRANK Fair Pay Calculator, does not generate a day rate nor it does estimate a fee for the artist for the work required. Instead, the Calculator unpacks the stages of artistic labour and supports commissioning bodies and artists in negotiating a fair remuneration for the professionalism, labour and energy incurred in the collaboration.

FRANK encourages artists and commissioning bodies to identify the artist fee in a transparent conversation. Both parties are expected to work together in assessing the levels of fairness in the remuneration for the work that is required.

FRANK Artist Production Budget Template

FRANK provides an artist production budget template that outlines key areas of expenditure and income streams in a project. In addition, the Template can also be used in case of adaptation of existing works.

FRANK x CAL Pre-Contractual Review

FRANK worked in collaboration with founding-member Canvas Art Law (CAL) to develop an early stage document that unpacks a wide array of areas that needs to be discussed and negotiated in temporary contractual engagements with artists.

FRANK x CAL Pre-Contractual Review is composed of yes or no, fill in the blank, and multiple choice questions and charts delegation of roles with the aim to bring clarity to any collaboration. The Tool complies with sections of UK contracts and all findings can be transferred easily to the contractual stage of a collaboration.

FRANK X CAL Pre-Contractual Review is designed as a live document where the Artist and the Commissioner can record their agreements as they progress in the collaboration.

FRANK x CAL Artwork Commission Agreement Checklist

FRANK worked in collaboration with founding-member Canvas Art Law (CAL) to develop a checklist to aid contractual stages of the collaboration between artists and commissioning bodies.

FRANK x CAL Artwork Commission Agreement Checklist is designed to support artists and commissioning bodies in ensuring all areas are attended, discussed and covered in a contractual agreement. The Tool complies with UK contractual regulations and supports the process of signing contracts with further clarity and assurance.