"In the survey, 45% of artists reported that they earned less from their practice in 2025 than they did last year. (image of Gustav Klimt's "Death and Life" (1915) public domain CC0 BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons , edit Lakshmi Rivera Amin/ Hyperallergic) Findings from a new survey for artists report that 56% of participants are working through debt. That statistic climbed to 59% for those with gallery representation and museum shows under their belt."
"According to art critic and career advisor Paddy Johnson, who spearheaded the " New Visions" survey, data compiled from over 1,000respondents indicates that "artists across all levels struggle with a lot of the same things." Johnson - who also pens Hyperallergic's advice column Art Problems - said in a phone interview that "the part of the industry that I surveyed tends to be underrepresented," noting that a majority of market reports specifically focus on mainstream, commercially successful artists and artworks, as well as high-profile fairs"
A survey of more than 1,000 respondents found that 75% of participants earn less than $15,000 annually from their artistic practices, with over half earning $5,000 or less. The survey reported that 56% of participants are carrying debt, rising to 59% among those with gallery representation and museum shows. Forty-five percent reported earning less in 2025 than the previous year. Despite low earnings and widespread debt, 73% of respondents remain optimistic about their careers. The survey reached over 18,000 contacts and used two questionnaires addressing industry priorities and economic status.
Read at Hyperallergic
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