Salary for work!
The Norwegian Drawing Center's indicative rates for illustration and comics
Three years ago, on May 1, 2021, we published indicative rates for illustration and comics and defined an industry standard for practitioners. The list is adjusted every year based on the consumer price index.
In 2023, as a result of the war in Ukraine, we experienced increased electricity prices, interest rate hikes and higher living expenses. This resulted in a 6.5% increase in the consumer price index. We still live in troubled times, but this year the consumer price index has stabilized somewhat and is at 4.5%(Statistics Norway), which is the basis for our upward adjustment for 2024.
From May 1, the indicative rates will be adjusted upwards by 4.5% and we encourage all our members to take into account increased costs in society in general when preparing prices for assignments.
Tegnerforbundet (TF) - The Norwegian Drawing Center is a venue for drawing art and an artist-run union founded by newspaper cartoonists and illustrators in 1916, and has a long tradition of working in the field of professional politics. The original purpose of the association is "to bring together Norwegian cartoonists to jointly safeguard their professional and economic interests through cooperation".
Safeguarding our members' professional and financial interests remains highly relevant in 2024. The list of recommended rates is part of our professional policy work to strengthen the entire field. For many years, there has been great frustration and uncertainty about pricing in the field of illustration and comics. The Competition Act has been used as an argument that practitioners cannot discuss or create indicative rates.
The list is the Drawing Association's recommendation and cannot be considered a price agreement. We want illustrators and cartoonists to be able to use the list as a tool in negotiations with clients. The purpose of this is to contribute to a sustainable economy for the practitioners, as well as to minimize uncertainty in the field in the long term.
Since the publication of the indicative rates three years ago, we have conducted surveys on the effects of the indicative rates on performers. We have received a lot of positive feedback from performers and clients. It is clear that a number of artists have underpriced themselves and had their prices pushed down over a long period of time. Practitioners have used the Drawing Association's list in negotiations, and clients have been able to use our list to increase their budgets.
For many years, pricing in the field has been unbalanced as the client has mainly been in a position of power. With the list of recommended rates, we create a better balance in the field where more power is given to practitioners.
We are now continuing this political work to create a better and more sustainable artist economy for the Drawing Union's members.
Regards
The Norwegian Drawing Center's working group:
Tanja Thorjussen, Chair of the Board of Directors Tegnerforbundet
Anders Kvammen, Board member Tegnerforbundet
Christian Bloom, board member Tegnerforbundet
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See Tegnerforbundets indicative rates 2024.
Link to the press release 2023
Link to the 2022 press release
Link to the 2021 press release
