Payment Standards
Public Art
Concept design fees are paid during the shortlisting process of a public art commission. They are payment for the time, ideas and labour expended by the artist in the development of a pitch.
Artist fees for a public art commission will similarly offer remuneration for an artists’ skills and work in undertaking a temporary or permanent public art project. Artist fees vary between 20% and 40% of the project’s overall budget, depending on the scope and scale of the artwork and the timeframes, technical nature, fabrication, materials, and level of assistance provided. The minimum percentage fee range listed below is a percentage of the overall public art budget. Extra services and expertise provided by the artist can increase artist fees, such as engineering/fabrication, project management and extended community and stakeholder engagement.
Some artists who regularly undertake public art commissions may have developed their own set of fee structures based on their experiences around costs.
For more information on good practice recommendations for public art, see Commissioning Art in Public Spaces.
Concept Design Fees
Project Budget | Minimum Fee Range | |
|---|---|---|
$5,000+ | $500.00 | $1,000.00 |
$20,000+ | $1,000.00 | $2,000.00 |
$100,000+ | $3,000.00 | $5,000.00 |
$300,000+ | $4,000.00 | $6,000.00 |
$500,000+ | $5,000.00 | $7,000.00 |
$1,000,000+ | $7,000.00 | $10,000.00 |
Artist Fees
Project Budget | Minimum % Fee Range | |
|---|---|---|
$5000+ | 45% | 55% |
$20,000+ | 30% | 40% |
$100,000+ | 25% | 35% |
$300,000+ | 21% | 26% |
$500,000+ | 20% | 24% |
$1,000,000+ | 19% | 28% |
These fees are for a standard project. Design Only Fees should be negotiated with the commissioner or art consultant.