The Creative Industries Federation has launched a survey to examine the role freelancers play in the UK’s creative industries. The research is part of the federation’s work on the government’s forthcoming industrial strategy.
The survey will gather detail from both self-employed creatives and the organisations that employ them, investigating their working practices and how government policy can best support them.
This will provide key evidence for policymakers in the future and will inform other areas of the federation’s ongoing work, including in relation to Brexit.
Some of the questions included in the survey relate to why people choose to become self-employed and freelance. Respondents can choose from options including: greater autonomy, more flexibility, to gain experience, and better earning power.
Participants are also asked to provide the percentage of their income that comes from freelance work and how many contracts they have each year. They are also asked whether they have undertaken any unpaid work in the last 12 months, and whether this is normal.
Further questions relate to education, including whether academic institutions have provided any career support. The process of finding work and how this might be improved is also addressed.
The Creative Industries Federation was formed in 2014 with the aim of lobbying on behalf of the UK creative industries and providing research comparing the competitiveness of the UK’s creative organisations to those in other international markets.
Its membership consists of over 200 arts organisations and commercial creative companies, including a-n.
The survey can be found here: www.surveymonkey.co.uk
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