Fear of pricing is one of the most widespread among artists. Fear of seeming expensive. Fear of losing the commission. Fear of not being worth what you ask. But this fear has a real cost: charging less than you need, working at a loss without realising it, or accepting conditions that do not suit you because you do not know your minimum figure.

Pricing is not a matter of attitude or self-esteem. It is a matter of arithmetic. And the good news is that numbers do not lie.

The real cost price

When you calculate what you charge for a project, it is easy to fall into the trap of counting only the time you spend on the visible work: the performance, the concert, the photo session, the exhibition. But the real cost includes much more.

Everything that forms part of the cost of a commission:

  • Self-employed social security contributions: if you are self-employed, the monthly contribution is a fixed cost you must spread across all your income. It is not optional.
  • Preparation hours: rehearsals, coordination, concept development, revisions, prior communication with the client. These often double or triple the time spent on the visible work.
  • Materials and equipment: consumables, tools, instruments, professional wardrobe, software, technical equipment.
  • Travel: transport, parking, subsistence allowances for longer trips.
  • Administration time: quotes, emails, invoicing, bookkeeping. This is real time that does not pay itself.
  • Training and professional development: courses, workshops, classes. If you invest in training, it is because training is part of your service.

If you do not account for all of this, you are subsidising the client with your time and your expenses.

The 3 pricing models

Not every situation calls for the same pricing model. Knowing them helps you choose the one that best protects your time and your margin in each case.

Hourly rate Useful when the duration is uncertain or the project is open-ended: consultancies, classes, artistic coaching sessions, one-off collaborations. The risk: the client can drag things out, and you need to be clear about where the rate applies.

Project fee Appropriate when the scope is clear: a mural, a theatre piece, a photographic commission, a composition brief. The client knows the total cost and you can manage your time more freely. The risk: underestimating the hours and ending up charging below your real rate.

Closed performance fee The standard model for live performances, residencies, and shows. A fixed amount for a specific service. The key: the fee must include all costs associated with that performance, not just the time on stage.

How to calculate your minimum viable rate

This calculation gives you the figure below which you are working at a loss. It is the starting point, not the final price.

01

Monthly fixed costs. Add up your self-employed social security contributions, recurring materials, tool subscriptions, insurance, training costs spread monthly, rehearsal space or studio rent if applicable, and any cost you incur each month regardless of whether you are working. This figure is what you need to cover before earning anything.

02

Real hours available for billable work. Not all the hours you work can be invoiced. Deduct the hours spent on administration, prospecting, training, and bookkeeping. If you work 40 hours a week but 15 go on administration, you have 25 billable hours. Multiply by the weeks you work in a year and divide by 12 to get your monthly billable hours.

03

Minimum hourly rate = monthly costs ÷ monthly billable hours. This is your survival rate: the per-hour figure you need to cover costs. If it comes out at €20/h and you are charging €15/h, you are working at a loss.

04

Add your profit margin. You do not work merely to survive — you work to earn. Add 20–40% on top of your minimum as a real profit margin. Without a margin, you cannot save, you cannot invest in your project, and you have no buffer for quiet months.

05

Check where you stand in relation to the market. Now that you know your minimum price with margin, check how it relates to rates in your sector and at your level. If you are well below the market, that is a good sign: you have room to raise your rates. If you are above it, review whether your positioning and communication justify that differential.

Common mistakes

Giving discounts by default

If every time you present a quote you say "but I can do you a better price if you like", you are communicating that your original price was not real. Discounts must have a specific reason: repeat client, volume, upfront payment. They should not be a reflection of your insecurity.

Not charging for preparation hours

If you charge for the performance but not for the rehearsal, the preliminary travel, the coordination meeting, and the follow-up emails, you are giving away half the work. Preparation is part of the service.

Comparing yourself to artists at a different level or context

Market rates are not a single figure. They depend on the sector, geographical location, experience, positioning, and type of client. Comparing your fee to that of an emerging artist with no track record — or to that of an established star — gives you no useful information.

Accepting payment in kind without valuing it properly

"We'll give you visibility", "we'll post about you on our social media", "it's an opportunity for your portfolio". If you accept this kind of non-monetary compensation, put a monetary value on it and check whether it makes sense to accept it at the implied price. Often it does not.

Price communicates value

An artist who charges little does not come across as accessible: they come across as worth little. Price is part of your professional communication, just like your portfolio, your bio, or your showreel.

Raising your prices is uncomfortable. But the alternative — continuing to charge less than you need — carries a far higher cost: burnout, resentment, and the impossibility of sustaining your artistic practice in the long term.

If you would like support in structuring your value proposition and your professional communication as an artist, at Ressona we help you find the right framework. Contact us.