Speaking on behalf of 350,000 creative professionals the Creators’ Rights Alliance (CRA), its members and partner organisations (including WGGB) are calling for creators to be paid professionally and promptly and to be given the same considerations enjoyed by other sectors of industry.
Pay the Creator, which launches today (17 March 2022), brings together CRA member campaigns and the work they do, tirelessly championing creator working rights.
The challenge
Too often creators are offered payment in kind, through exposure, or opportunity, rather than financial payment for their work They are also ignored when policies are being developed and support is being given.
Creators’ work is the foundation of the largest sector within the UK economy. Yet their needs are repeatedly ignored when policy, economic and support decisions are being made.
We must bring to an end a practice that discriminates, stifles access and limits those who are able to work in our industry.
CRA member organisations already constantly campaign on these issues. For example, WGGB has run its FREE is NOT an Option campaign, and has various resources and rates cards and minimum terms agreements so writers can navigate this complex area.
Through Pay the Creator the CRA is bringing together all its member organisations’ campaigns under one simple banner, to spread the collective message even wider.
CRA and its members want to ensure that all creators are:
- Paid for the work they do, on time and reflecting their skills and contributions
- Recognised for the contribution they make to the creative industries, the UK’s economy and our well-being
- At the heart of Government policy and the decision-making process
Inequitable payment disproportionally affects those who are under-represented within the industry, limiting their chances to make a living from their creativity and to remain in the sector. It sets back any progress toward the inclusive industry that we all want to see. These unfair practices ensure that only those who come from backgrounds where they can be financially supported can sustain a career in the sector.
We cannot and should not accept the inequality of pay for creators of all kinds – writers, illustrators, photographers, musicians, actors and artists.
If you are a creator, this is how you can help:
- Download the Pay the Creator logo to use on your own website and email signatures, linking to the Pay the Creator CRA page.
- Use #PayTheCreator on your social media feeds to highlight the best and the worst in pay and contract practices. There is a GIF you can use on your social media channels here
- You can also pledge your support to the Pay the Creator campaign here.
WGGB General Secretary, Ellie Peers, said:
“Writers – like all other workers – should be paid a fair wage for their labour, yet sadly an increasing number are being asked to work for no pay or low pay, as our FREE is NOT an Option survey and campaign has found.
“As a trade union, we have always stood against this practice, which devalues our members’ work. It also has a devastating impact on equality and diversity, and means that only the independently wealthy can afford to write the stories that find their way on to stage, page, screen and across our airwaves.
“We therefore support this vital new campaign from the Creators’ Rights Alliance, of which WGGB is part, which rightfully demands fair pay for all creators.”
