32: Should Artists Work for Free?

Laura and Nikki talk about whether or not artists should work for free. As artists, we tend to be generous and want to see our work out in the world, but others don’t always see our art as work – and we often don’t value our own work as much as we should. How can we reframe this view?

In this episode, we talk about the impact of working for free and give examples of times we think artists might benefit from working for free versus when we won't.

TOPICS DISCUSSED

• Should artists do spec work?
• Responding to requests for work with no up front payment 
• Doing it for exposure
• Pricing too low
• Design contests
• Donating art 
• Free work to gain experience or grow your portfolio
• Volunteering for a good cause
• Barter or trade

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