Emma Shepley

Why did you decide to become a freelancer?

When I decided to leave my permanent job of over a decade in 2016 – I didn’t want to go straight into another full-time leadership role without a break. Freelancing was a temporary measure to work out ‘what next’, but I loved it. It’s a fulfilling and valuable role, personally and for the sector. When making the decision to leave a permanent job, you tend to focus more on what you have to lose. What I realise now is how much I had to gain.

What do you wish someone had told you about being a freelancer?

No one could have persuaded me that freelance life was for me before I was one! I could only see the downsides, and it certainly isn’t right for everyone. I couldn’t imagine museum life as a curator without a collection and thought you must need super-human levels of confidence – which I definitely don’t have.

The reality is that I have gained confidence, broader perspectives and deeper understanding of collections, research and management after seven years working with museums and heritage of all types and sizes. Having worked in both worlds now, I also realise that no job is actually permanent, so you might as well go with it and enjoy the variety.

Most importantly, the best advice I got was to work out what you do well, then benchmark, set and stick to your fees. Find out when you’re happy to discount your rates and when you’re just not the best person for a suggested job. Chat to other freelancers about how they run their business – everyone has their own model depending on personal circumstances.

What would you say are the benefits of working in a museum consultancy rather than in a museum?

Above all else, the variety of places, people, collections and histories is endlessly fascinating and invaluable for continuous learning and sector overview. It puts an end to worrying that you can only work successfully in one place because you’ve been there for years and know it backwards. Lots of people say this and it’s just not true – our skills are very transferable.

It is liberating to step outside internal politics and workplace frustrations. You observe them as a freelancer, but you’re not emotionally involved in the same way, and this allows you to stay calmer and be constructive in stressful situations. I’m often hired because a project or team needs support on many levels, and an experienced, kind and practical voice can help everyone to work through obstacles.

I can now see exactly how much working time is absorbed just being a staff member of an institution – practically and emotionally. As a freelancer I can focus on projects, particularly writing and research, without feeling guilty that I’m not simultaneously re-writing the emergency plan, doing a staff appraisal, applying for a grant or drafting a trustees report. That doesn’t mean there is no juggle and no downsides – just that aspects of freelance life are revitalising and conducive to high quality work in a way that daily office life sometimes isn’t.

What skills do you think are most important for freelancer or consultancy work?

I took an accredited coaching course last year and it has been one of the most valuable skills I’ve gained. I learnt a lot about myself, how to listen properly and ask questions that allow clients to think honestly and move forward. A freelancer needs to set out on every project with a mindset of openness, collaboration and equality – clients usually know what they need to do, but background stresses can get in the way of clarity and action. Coaching techniques really help here.

Then there are the skills that help everyone enjoy working with you: clear communication, reliability, energy, cheerfulness, attention to detail and looking for ways to add value above and beyond your precise brief. I try to keep in mind that nothing happens in museums without a whole team of expert people, and be supportive and actively champion the achievements of colleagues and peers.

What should museums be doing to support the wellbeing of freelancers in the sector?

Greater awareness of freelance payrates is probably most important. Museums need to know that a freelancer’s daily rate is not the equivalent of a salaried employee – I am still offered this occasionally and have to explain that museums are getting the benefit of an expert workforce, as and when they need it, without overheads, holiday, pension or sick pay.