Today, there is no excuse for poor behaviour in the workplace. For decades, workers have advocated for safe working conditions, gender equity, copyright acknowledgment, and basic fair pay – and while Australia has pretty good standards generally – the arts regularly come up against a wall when it comes to regulated conditions and salary disparity, commensurate with professionals across other fields of expertise.
What is often forgotten, is that arts professionals are small businesses also. Would you ask your doctor or your lawyer to offer their services unpaid or allow them to work in an unregulated space? Would you expect your sourdough supplier to stock your local shop on consignment? The simple answer is no.
