About Budget Planning

Critical to project success is a well-planned budget. Establish a budget, which includes all cash and in-kind contributions, and takes into account artist and curators’ fees, travel/accommodation expenses; installation/de-installation costs; maintenance of artworks; marketing and promotion including social media; launch; events and artist talks; training of staff and volunteers; documentation; signage; orientation leaflet and an amount for contingencies. Identify the shortfall, if there is one, and potential sources of additional funding and write a fundraising strategy. To avoid the risk of any unforeseen costs always include a contingency.

The following project costs should be considered when preparing a budget for an artist commission:

Project Development

• Curatorial fees and expenses
• Artists’ proposal fees*
• Interview costs and site visits
• Artists’ fees/costs for the making of work/expenses – if commissioned work
• Hire costs – if an existing artwork

* for guidance on fair artist pay look at a-n/AIR’s Paying Artists Guide [http://www.payingartists.org.uk/]

Project Delivery

• Project Management 
• Installation / technical support
• Transportation of works
• De-installation and return transportation
• Security
• Extra staffing / invigilation
• Marketing
• Documentation – photography and film
• Catalogue / project guide
• Education / family guide
• Signage / interpretation
• Press day and launch – if artists / staff / partners required to attend dedicated press days they may require an additional fee and travel expenses
• Education – artists need to be paid for any workshop / talk and tour / training days
• Evaluation – may need external evaluator
• Visitor surveys
• Re-install of landscape if work has impacted on it
• Contingency – ideally 5-10% of total budget

N.B. – not all items will be appropriate and some costs may be found in-kind.