01/06/2023
I didn't write this all out, a friend of mine did and I hope we all can understand this as well as get behind it as a community.
The professional industry standard for Performance Artists is $150-$300/hour per performer for four 10-15 minute sets.
Not only have I been working in this industry for over a decade, but I'm also in 2 of the largest GoGo Groups with performance artists/promoters/directors from all over the world that perform at every high-end/large-scale festival or EDM event you've ever heard of nationwide and internationally....this is the general standard for ALL Performance Artists (GoGo Dancers/Flow Artists/Aerialists/etc.) I've seen so many discussions about price over the years and the best of the best will tell you that charging less than this as a business professional is a disservice to the industry as a whole. For smaller markets such as Boise the standard is no less than $75/hour per performer which is what our Optik GoGos just raised our rates to starting in 2023, but honestly with what we bring to performances through choreography/props/costume/promotion we could easily charge more if we were in a larger market.
The major factor regarding free/unpaid gigs is performers who work tirelessly to make a profession out of their art vs. performers who only seek to perform for fun and exposure, disregarding the business aspect. Unfortunately as long as there are performers willing to take free gigs, there will always be promoters that will choose the less expensive alternative. At the end of the day, promoters that respect your talent and professionalism will gladly pay your rates because they value the quality of performance being brought to the table. *Not always* but more often than not "you get what you pay for," meaning someone who treats their art as a professional business is more likely to invest in equipment, rehearse a routine, look and act professional, show up on time, not get too fu**ed up, promote the event, etc. The only gigs my company ever does for free is charity/fundraiser events and I will never feel bad about turning down a gig from a promoter that doesn't want to pay us what we're worth because in the end if they don't value my profession, then they're not a promoter that I want to work with anyways.
I highly encourage all Performance Artists in Boise to start charging minimum $75/hour and stick to it so that this becomes the new local standard. DJs in Boise are finally being paid a standard of $100/hour (which is low for industry standards) and it's only because DJs and a select few promoters committed to making it the norm. Boise has some of the most talented and dedicated artists I've ever seen and I've traveled for a lot of festivals over the years. If we don't stick together and support each other then our scene will stay stagnant and we will always be years behind. Just my two cents 💯💜
