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The Importance of Transparency in Creative Industries
Lessons from a Journey in Costume Design to Marketing and Communications
Transparency in our industry isn’t just a buzzword—it’s essential for anyone trying to navigate the often murky waters of fair pay, pricing, and working conditions. I learned this first hand the hard way, which is why I now openly share my pricing and gladly discuss my salary and work conditions with others. Having started my career as a Costume Designer, I now work as a Marketing, Communications and Branding Consultant, primarily in the arts and heritage sectors. Working with theatre, music and creative clients like, Contact Arts, Lancaster Jazz Festival and Hurly Burly Theatre allows me to blend my creative past with my strategic present, which feels like a natural evolution of my journey.
When I started out in my first career as a Costume Designer, after the rose scented haze of four wonderfully creatively free years began to dissipate, I quickly realised that my degree hadn’t equipped me with a shocking number of basics which left me unprepared for the professional realities of the industry. My education, while creatively enriching, left me with little understanding of the basics like pricing, industry pay standards, how to structure contracts or even how to manage my own taxes. Our tutors, working professionals in an incredibly competitive field, withheld any information that might benefit potential competitors. This lack of guidance left me desperately trying to understand fair pricing and working conditions which was stressful, unnecessarily challenging and at times flat-out embarrassing.
This experience of "competitive gatekeeping" ultimately contributed to my decision to shift to a new career. It also resulted in a real passion for creating a more open landscape for the young and emerging creatives who enter similar creative or marketing fields, hoping they can feel informed and empowered rather than burdened by the struggles I faced. Sharing knowledge isn’t just beneficial; it’s necessary for a healthier industry.
This is why I wholeheartedly support initiatives like Marketing Week's salary and work benefits survey. In a recent Creative Review article, Are Creatives Undervaluing Themselves?, Nicki Field, Jelly’s joint MD, pointed out the “race to the bottom” we’re seeing with creative pay. She emphasized, “as a community, we have a responsibility to share that information and knowledge more widely…The antidote to that is transparency and visibility on realistic fees.”
If you work in Marketing, Communications, Branding, Design, or any creative field, I encourage you to take a few minutes to complete this survey. Let’s create a culture of transparency that offers the tools we wish we’d had when we were starting out. By valuing and uplifting each other, we’re building a more supportive industry for ourselves and the next generation.
When I started out in my first career as a Costume Designer, after the rose scented haze of four wonderfully creatively free years began to dissipate, I quickly realised that my degree hadn’t equipped me with a shocking number of basics which left me unprepared for the professional realities of the industry. My education, while creatively enriching, left me with little understanding of the basics like pricing, industry pay standards, how to structure contracts or even how to manage my own taxes. Our tutors, working professionals in an incredibly competitive field, withheld any information that might benefit potential competitors. This lack of guidance left me desperately trying to understand fair pricing and working conditions which was stressful, unnecessarily challenging and at times flat-out embarrassing.
This experience of "competitive gatekeeping" ultimately contributed to my decision to shift to a new career. It also resulted in a real passion for creating a more open landscape for the young and emerging creatives who enter similar creative or marketing fields, hoping they can feel informed and empowered rather than burdened by the struggles I faced. Sharing knowledge isn’t just beneficial; it’s necessary for a healthier industry.
This is why I wholeheartedly support initiatives like Marketing Week's salary and work benefits survey. In a recent Creative Review article, Are Creatives Undervaluing Themselves?, Nicki Field, Jelly’s joint MD, pointed out the “race to the bottom” we’re seeing with creative pay. She emphasized, “as a community, we have a responsibility to share that information and knowledge more widely…The antidote to that is transparency and visibility on realistic fees.”
If you work in Marketing, Communications, Branding, Design, or any creative field, I encourage you to take a few minutes to complete this survey. Let’s create a culture of transparency that offers the tools we wish we’d had when we were starting out. By valuing and uplifting each other, we’re building a more supportive industry for ourselves and the next generation.
Whether you’re just starting out or you’d like a refresh, I’m here to work with you every step of the way to make sure that the whole process is as easy and stress-free as possible.
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