Creative United’s Own Art scheme will be expanded to help boost artists’ earnings and address inequality, as new research identifies it as a ‘vital pathway’ for art and craft market growth.
Published today, [Monday 2 March], Coventry University’s ‘Understanding UK Artists’ Livelihoods: The 2024 Survey’ report highlights the scheme’s important role in generating additional income for artists, whose earnings sit well below the UK living wage.
With the support of all four UK arts councils, Own Art has generated more than £79 million in contemporary art and craft sales with affordable 0% interest loans since its launch in 2004.
From 1 April this year, it aims to generate an extra £0.5m per annum in sales by raising loan thresholds and incentivising more sales of work from underrepresented artists with the lowest earnings.
Mary-Alice Stack (pictured), Creative United Chief Executive, said:
The financial challenge of making a living as a visual artist has never been more acute. Coventry University’s research sets out the scale of the problem and the importance of long-term, sustainable interventions, such as our Own Art scheme, to help UK creatives.
“I’m delighted to announce Own Art’s expansion, building on 20 years’ supporting many thousands of artists. To make a living, artists need a healthy range of collectors. Through higher loan thresholds and incentivising support for underrepresented artists, we hope to open the door to many more creatives and buyers alike, boosting the contemporary art market for all.”
Report Findings
Commissioned by Creative United and carried out by Coventry University, the 2024 survey report provides an evidence base of UK artists’ incomes and the role of public investment schemes like Own Art into artistic consumer markets.
The report explores artists’ income from sales of their work, additional income streams (such as teaching and consultancy), and socio-economic characteristics. The findings paint a stark picture of low incomes, inequalities and income gaps.
The Challenge to Earn a Living Through Art
Through an analysis of responses from 271 UK-based visual artists, the researchers found:
- More than half of the respondents earned less than £5,000 from selling their art in 2024
- Even when additional artistic income is taken into account (such as teaching or facilitation), median annual income was still only £12,500, well below the UK living wage (£24,000).
The Own Art Effect
Against this backdrop of low earnings, the report identifies Own Art as ‘an important mechanism for supporting artists’ livelihoods by facilitating incremental sales that might not otherwise occur’. It calls for continued backing for schemes like Own Art that ‘provide vital pathways between artists and the ability to grow art and craft markets’.
The analysis suggests Own Art could generate incremental (additional) earnings equating to 12% of participating artists’ income from artistic activities.*
Report author Prof David Jarvis of Coventry University added:
The ripple effect of the Own Art scheme in helping galleries and artists develop a customer base is essential for the creative economy. Further expansion of the Own Art Scheme could be expected to increase artists’ income from sales of artwork through greater participation and higher value sales. An at least 12% increase in income from artistic activities, within the context of a cost-of-living crisis, is a significant benefit.”
Income Inequalities
The report also highlights income disparities across artist demographics, including:
- Highest earners amongst respondents are mid-career artists (aged 45-64), while younger and older artists cluster at the bottom of the income scale
- Lower earning brackets are dominated by women and non-binary artists, confirming long-standing pay gaps across the visual arts
- One in five respondents report a disability or long-term health condition – one of the highest rates recorded across UK economic sectors
Creative United’s Response – Own Art Expansion
Backed by funding from all four UK arts councils, Creative United will introduce higher thresholds on Own Art’s publicly subsidised loans. From April, customers will be able to buy contemporary art and craft with loans from £250 – £5,000 (up from £100 – £2,500).
To address the inequalities highlighted in the report, Creative United will also widen market opportunities for artists across the UK. Organisations that champion the work of underrepresented and marginalised artists will be incentivised to join the network of more than 300 Own Art member galleries and art fairs, while the scheme’s application fees will be reduced for all.
“When I saw that the threshold was increasing to £5,000 I let out a little cheer! This is a really significant move and will greatly help artists, art collectors and galleries alike. As a gallery that has been an Own Art member since 2008, I see firsthand the positive impact it has had over the years and hundreds of artists owe a significant part of their success to this wonderful scheme.”
Own Art gallery owner, Sarah Brittain-Mansbridge MBE, Director of Cornwall Contemporary
“Own Art has helped me sell work at art fairs on many occasions. It’s an invaluable decision-maker and can really tip a buyer’s 50/50, spur-of-the-moment choice to buy a piece of art. When I say, “for the price of a meal a month,” the purchase suddenly feels possible.”
Paul West, Landscape artist, @paulwestart
Discover the Own Art Network
Own Art is one of several initiatives delivering on Creative United’s mission to support creative livelihoods across the UK.
Explore Own Art’s network of 300+ galleries, art fairs, and artist-led organisations across the UK, all offering 0% finance on the sale of original art and craft. With a higher price threshold now available, you can continue to spread the cost and enjoy even more of the art you love.