Almost 80% of museum freelancers have lost earnings during Covid

Nearly four-fifths of museum and heritage freelancers (78%) say their income fell between March and October this year but less than half have been able to access government income support, according to a survey published this week.

Compiled by Museum Freelance, the organisation that represents freelancers and consultants working in the museum, gallery, archive and heritage sectors, the survey lays bare the “devastating impact” of the Covid pandemic on freelancers.

It shows that just 47% of the 305 respondents have been eligible for grants from the government’s Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) during the crisis, and 67% have had to find alternative sources of income, such as savings, borrowing or receiving a grant.

More than half of the respondents (52%) have had one or more projects or contracts cancelled, and 63% have had one or more projects or contracts postponed.

The survey shows that, while a third say they have been able to pivot or adapt their services during Covid by offering things like online learning, for some this has not been possible.

Many respondents report feeling abandoned by the organisations they work with. One writes: “I freelance at many museums and galleries and I have been utterly shocked and disheartened by their lack of communication towards their freelancers. I've heard nothing. I feel I have zero value in this sector anymore. A sector I have worked in for 26 years. It's a very poor show.”

Another says: “It’s been a difficult time and feels depressing that I am completely unsupported by the sector and clients I have worked with for years.”

The pandemic has also had a “detrimental impact” on freelancers’ mental health; qualitative responses in the poll document respondents' feelings of stress, anxiety and isolation.

One writes: “The anxiety has been hugely impactful. Not being able to see any new contracts being tendered until the autumn, and the fierce competition for them, had a big impact on my morale.”

Many freelancers are considering looking elsewhere for work in 2021; 37% say they are going to look for or start freelancing outside the cultural/heritage sector in the next six months.

The survey says: “For the sector, there is a risk that some of their experience and expertise is lost, as freelancers are forced to look for income and opportunities elsewhere.”

Museum Freelance says it will use the statistics and insights from the poll to continue to lobby for more support for the self-employed in the sector, sharing the findings with funding bodies, sector support organisations, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and other self-employed lobbying groups.

Marge Ainsley, co-director of Museum Freelance, said: “We’re dismayed to read these findings. These poll results clearly demonstrate that while the SEISS is a lifeline for many, it is not a panacea. Our findings reveal the high proportion of freelancers in our sector who have fallen through the government support cracks and not been eligible for the SEISS.

"We urgently call on the government to rethink support measures to provide much-needed financial support for them. 

“While freelancing has always been precarious, the scale, severity and sustained nature of the issues faced are extraordinary. The ongoing uncertainty and longevity of this crisis means that the repercussions are likely to endure for months – if not years – to come.”

The full poll report is available on the Museum Freelance website.

A letter published by the organisation in March sets out how organisations can support freelancers during Covid.