Focus | Hints and tips for starting out as a freelancer

From collaborating with lots of clients to being your own boss, freelancing appeals to many. But it can take time to develop a freelance career in museums – and it also brings challenges. Museums Journal spoke to several successful freelancers, who share their advice about how you can thrive in the sector.

There are financial and emotional considerations to going freelance, says heritage, culture and community consultant Claire Adler. 

Inconsistent income – particularly when starting out – is common, whether it’s the result of waiting for invoices to be paid or breaks in work. But there are ways to manage this.

“I put 30% of every payment away, so I always have enough to pay my tax bill – but I also have enough to pay the essentials on the ‘slippery months’,” says Adler.

There’s an emotional side to being a freelancer as well. “In a secure job, you will never have to put up with as much rejection as you do as a freelancer,” says Adler.

“However long you have been working as a freelancer, you will always get rejected for work, and you need to be strong enough to realise that it may be nothing about you, but just that someone else fitted better on the day.”

Many freelancers set up as sole traders, but it’s worth looking at HMRC’s guidance or speaking to others to see what business structure works best, especially if you’re likely to be collaborating with others. You’ll need to keep a record of your business income and file a yearly tax return.

Freelancing will look different to everyone. For some, it may be part of a patchwork career sitting alongside a part-time role, or it may be a conscious career choice. It takes time to figure out what works for you – and you’ll always be learning about what best suits your skillset, what you enjoy, and areas for development.

Finding work

Connections with past contacts or employers can be fruitful, and as your reputation grows, more work is likely to come directly to you.

Freelance curator and museum consultant Emma Shepley says: “The vast majority of my work comes from personal recommendations and repeat work for existing clients.”

Arts and heritage consultant Laura Crossley recommends finding opportunities on online channels and mailing lists such as Culture Briefs, the University of Leicester’s museums jobs desk, Arts Professional, Arts Jobs and LinkedIn.

“It’s also important to keep cultivating relationships with past clients,” she says. “Some may not have further work immediately, but you never know when they might have something that would be perfect for you. Remember to include a contact form or direct email on your website and LinkedIn profile, so potential clients can get in touch directly.”

Writing tenders is another common route to finding work.

“You can find examples of tenders online and you might also be able to find an experienced freelancer who will share an example tender with you,” says Crossley.

“Give yourself enough time to write tenders and tailor them to the role you’re applying for. Ask for feedback if you don’t get a role; it’s all a learning process.”

Knowing how much to charge

Talking about money can be tricky, but it’s essential to thriving as a freelancer. There are various resources for working out how much to charge. For example, the Group for Education in Museums provide a freelance day-rate calculator.

The amount you charge can depend on factors such as your experience level and how specialist the work is. It can be tempting when starting out to price yourself low, in the hope that this brings in work, but it’s important to not undervalue yourself and the profession.

“I have different rates, depending on who I am working for, as I want to ensure that I can work with small community organisations as well as national ones,” says Adler. “I also regularly review what I am charging.”

Time management

Freelancers typically juggle lots of projects. And when you’re working for yourself with no set office hours, time management is essential.

Crossley recommends the online tool ClickUp to help prioritise tasks. She also advises making time for “deep” focused work.

“I block off ‘no meetings’ days and schedule meetings for certain times on other days,” she says. “I have flexibility to fit in urgent meetings or calls, but I also have time to get work done. I’m also starting to block out time for emails – another important but time-sapping element of work.”

Much of what you do won’t be billable hours – you’ll need to put time aside for growing your business, and doing accounts and admin. Making time for yourself is essential. Crossley says that it’s easy to feel guilty for not working or feeling you must be available all the time.

“I schedule breaks and days off to make sure I have time away from work,” she says. “If I need an unexpected day off because I’m ill or not able to work for some reason, I take it.”

Building a brand 

As you develop, you’ll be building your brand as a freelancer. Having a website and being on social media are helpful – people should be able to find you if they Google your name.

“But brand is nothing without earned reputation,” says inclusive-engagement consultant, storyteller and communications expert Elma Glasgow. “Your brand can only exist if you deliver excellent quality work.

“It’s about how you work with clients and collaborators, and the name you make for yourself through the nature and standards of your work. You can only do this with dedication to your business and your clients.

“If you have the correct attitude, eventually more people will hear about you. As they say, word of mouth is the best form of marketing.”

Diversify your income

“I have always had a mix of freelance and employed roles, partly as where I live in mid-Wales there aren’t many museum roles available, and partly to develop experience,” says artist, arts educator and curator Alice Briggs.

“Being freelance has also supported my role as a working mother, especially when the children were younger. It has taken a long time to work out what I enjoy the most, but the work that I pick up is also about being open to what museums and galleries need.”

While most freelancers have a specialism, working with a range of clients can help you diversify your income, as well as allowing you to try different areas and see what you enjoy.

In her eight years as a freelancer, Emma Shepley has worked on a variety of projects, building versatility into her practice.

“It is essential to think broadly about your skillset and ways of applying these commercially as a freelancer, given how small the museum sector is,” she says.

“You also need to make yourself distinctive and employable by honing a very specific expertise to become the ‘go-to’ person for that subject or skill.”

Look after your wellbeing

Rejection, loneliness, insecurity and a challenging work-life balance can all make freelancing stressful.

There are practical ways in which you can look after your wellbeing, says Crossley. “Set and manage expectations with clients at the start of a project, including how often you can meet, your payment terms and what you need from them to do the work.

“Keep checking in on these throughout a project and have open conversations with clients if anything changes.”

It’s easy to feel pressure to work constantly, but it’s not healthy or possible. Crossley recommends setting clear boundaries.

“You could have set working hours and/or days that you include in your email signature,” she says. “Take breaks in the day to rest and clear your head. Make sure you have downtime when you are not doing anything related to work.”

Freelancing can also be lonely, but there are ways to address this.

“You can grow your network by going to conferences or joining freelance groups,” says Crossley. “There are some great groups on LinkedIn, or Freelancers Get Sh*t Done on Slack, which has randomised virtual coffee breaks each month where you’re paired up with another freelancer and you have an informal chat.”

These connections can also help freelancers navigate challenges, as well as being a great sounding board for advice.

Caroline Butterwick is a freelance writer