*aplogies for cross-posting*
Hello everyone
Thank you very much to everyone for the 41 responses and 9 emails about the consultants' and freelancers' daily rates survey. As promised, I am reporting back to the lists (GEM, GEM Freelance Network, Visitor Studies Group) – please see the report attached.
There is a lot of strength of feeling in the responses, that consultants and freelancers provide a very high level of skill and expertise to cultural heritage organisations, without which many projects would not take place, as consultants and freelancers bring additional capacity to organisations as well as skills and expertise. Very many cultural heritage projects are a three-way partnership between the cultural heritage organisation (the client), the funder and the consultant / freelancer.
Many of the respondents feel that clients do not fully recognise the costs which consultants and freelancers incur in running their businesses, and so project budgets do not always allow an adequate amount for consultants'/freelancers' work. As so many cultural heritage projects are funded by various grant-making organisations, the grant makers should ensure that the sums allowed for consultants and freelancers are realistic, in the same way as costs for equipment, construction, etc. This will help consultants and freelancers continue to deliver high quality services to the cultural heritage sector.
This survey, although limited, has given an idea of the range of daily rates which consultants and freelancers charge for various tasks and flagged up some of the issues which affect them in running their businesses. It's a "toe in the water" and someone else – an organisation, perhaps? – might like to consider taking this further.
Best wishes
Nicola
Nicola Bell
culture-evaluation-learning
T: 01830 540350