On my sporadic Instagram posting, I recently popped a few thoughts up about things I have learnt in my 15+ years doing burlesque.

The biggest - and hardest - thing that I have learnt is that nothing is worth a shitty gig.

What do I mean by a shit gig?

I primarily mean a gig that is not adequately paying you for your time. But of course, it might also be about the reputation of the producer or company and that their values don’t align to yours.

In those cases, the gig on offer might be something financially attractive, but morally or ethically gives you a headache. If it turns your stomach in knots, it’s probably not going to be worth it either.

But really, I am most frequently talking about financially.

When a job doesn’t pay you the award wage it’s just not and will never be worth your time.

(By the way Daniel McBurnie wrote an article in ArtsHub about industy wasges that I’d encourage you to read. )

But here’s my perspective.

It costs you to perform: It costs you time in transport to and from the show. It costs you your time waiting backstage. It costs you your time onstsge. And it also is the opportunity cost lost - whetehr that might be a better financial opportunity you have to turn down and miss. Or it’s the time that you could have been spent working or doing something else.
Are you so desperate for attention?: I’ve seen shows where they are offering $50 or $60 per act. Ask youself - are you THAT desperate to take your clothes off and literally lose money in doing so? Do you need the applause and approval of other people THAT badly?
You set yourself up for failure: If you work with someone for $50, in my experience it’s harder to negotiate a changed fee down the track. And look the time on stage might be for ‘ fun’ at first. But look 12 - 18 months down the barrel and this will be a really expensive hobby that you will be financially supporting.
Honestly. You fuck it up for everyone else: I am a performer and teacher that is part time. So I COULD theoretically work a show for a lot less. My burlesque ‘career’ supplements my main source of income. But if I do that, I fuck every person that has the arts as a full time job and who doesn’t have the luxury to have a back up plan. If you in principle take and accept a wage that is substandard, you are basically saying this is what everyone else deserves to be paid - making it way harder for the next person to negotiate for the actual award.

I want to finish, by reminding you that exposure is not and is never real. Negotiating pay for myself and navigating the shit show that is the MEAA award, has been an uphill battle. I honestly think it took me 5-6 years of performing to start to be able to stand up for this type of stuff. I have been booked for corporate shows or festivals where someone has wanted to pay less and the trade off was meant to be the exposure….. Sorry. I’ve never had someone remember me and then come and book me for something else. Now maybe I am just not good enough. But law of averages would suggest that at least one referral point would have happened by now. Nope.

I am definitely not the best performer, the richest or the most successful. But I have worked in this space for long enough now, to say that taking a gig that doesn’t pay the award will NEVER pay off. And you ultimately either fuck things up for yourself - or for someone else. Stick to your value. Turn down the opportunities that don’t pay appropriately. Know your worth and don’t be afraid to state it.

Don't take a sh*tty gig ....