More than the Paycheck - Should artists work for free?

As an artist likely at the beginning of your journey, whether it be GCSE, A-level or University level. Sometimes you may wonder - what type of creative will I grow to become? Will I be super commercial, will I fight for causes great and small - creating work that contributes to a something greater than myself.

It's good to have these discussions. Vital even.

This is a journey you will have to make on personally, and a question only you can answer for yourself.

But no matter what conclusion you come to, one thing to remember is that sometimes the piece is worth more than the paycheck.

Whether we should work for free or not is a constant discussion all creatives have. I tend to keep my distance from unpaid work - time is precious, responsibilities are many, and I've far too many of my own projects that battle for my attention, yearning for me to complete them. But sometimes I throw all that out of the window when I see a cause or a project that really catches my attention.

The Windrush Legacy Association's Black History Month Exhibition was one of these.

With a focus on the 2025 theme of 'Standing Firm in Power and Pride' I took real pleasure in the challenge of creating this - something personal and meaningful within my own community (in both the geographically and cultural sense).

Check out this video where I talk through the journey of creating this piece and the meaning behind it:

I enjoyed creating the piece and seeing it on display, that within itself brought a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. But the sight of people from all backgrounds and ages looking upon 'Anchor' and commenting positively on it during such an important month made it all the more worth it.