Artistic Finance

Artistic Finance

Artistic Finance provides theatre makers with honest, no-pretension insights into managing money in the entertainment industry. Hosted by lighting designer Ethan Steimel, this podcast delves into the personal finance challenges and business realities of show business, offering candid advice and practical tools tailored to creatives working behind the scenes. https://www.artisticfinance.com/

Episodes

June 12, 2025 65 mins

Lighting designer Jane Cox discusses life as a freelance theatre designer who has also taken on some full time academic work.

 

Topics:

⭐️ Parenting while working in the arts

⭐️ Paying student loans with a credit card

⭐️ Prioritizing the needs of the community above the market rate 

⭐️ The financial system working against theatre design as a career

⭐️ Jane’s tax rate as a freelancer nearing 50%, and having it lower once she started...

Mark as Played

An update on the $6,000 of investments we made in May of 2021.

 

Four lighting designers and a bond investment CEO review how our investments compare to the S&P 500.

 

Video Version

https://youtu.be/_hiXSC5HY6A

 

Artistic Finance

https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance

 

False Steps: A Ballroom Comedy

https://www.falsestepscomedy.com/

 

ETFs:

IVV - iShares Core S&P 500

 

Stocks:

VST - Vistra Corp

LAC - Lithium Americas

TAP -...

Mark as Played

Set designer Vincent Gunn talks about the benefits of tracking the hours that you work.

 

Topics:

⭐️ Valuing your time 

⭐️ Investing the money in your retirement account

⭐️ Writing things down and getting them out of your head

⭐️ Designers thinking about work even when they’re not at work

 

Video Version

https://youtu.be/g1BZrnh3l7A

 

Artistic Finance

https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance

 

Vincent Gunn

https://www.vincentgunn.com/

htt...

Mark as Played

TheatrIcal lighting designer Jason Lynch talks about freelancing in Chicago. 

 

Topics:

⭐️ LLCs

⭐️ Estate Sales

⭐️ Keeping our humanity

⭐️ Investing in the S&P 500

⭐️ Some of Jason’s recent design fees

⭐️ Moving to a big theatre city, that’s not New York

 

Video Version

https://youtu.be/y5PApxbBG_I

 

Artistic Finance

https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance

 

Jason Lynch

https://www.jasondlynch.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasondl...

Mark as Played

Projection designer Sven Ortel talks about career finances.

 

Topics:

⭐️ Being persistent 

⭐️ Insisting you get credit for your work

⭐️ Organizing your taxes and writing it down

⭐️ Separating the production budget from the design budget

 

Video Version

https://youtu.be/YDxUvU-in4U

 

Artistic Finance

https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance

 

Sven Ortel

https://www.svenortel.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/svenortel/

https://www.instagram...

Discussing designer pay and transparency with Broadway, Off-Broadway, and West End lighting designer Isabella Byrd. 

 

Topics:

⭐️ Dealing with the IRS

⭐️ Union pension, healthcare, and the union ledger

⭐️ Commercial theatre fees (aka Broadway) versus off-Broadway fees (aka non-profit theatre)

⭐️ CDs, as in Certificates of Deposit

 

Video Version

https://youtu.be/HJ1wBWuLwKQ

 

Artistic Finance

https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance

 

Isa...

Mark as Played

Today is the 5th anniversary of Artistic Finance. A quick thank you to mark the occasion and announcing a non-AEA casting notice for NYC!

Mark as Played

Broadway lighting designer Beverly Emmons discusses commercial theatre practices for designers.

 

Topics:

⭐️ Adding riders onto your contract

⭐️ Theatre Law which aims to protect investors’ money

⭐️ W2 and 1099 and how that impacts copyright for designers

⭐️ The history of the theatre design union - United Scenic Artists

⭐️ Those union contracts, what they protect, and how they’re helpful for expediting theatre negotiations because...

Mark as Played

Alvin Hough Jr, who’s currently the associate music director of The Lion King on Broadway, talks about career finances and a few things about musical theatre musicians.

 

Topics:

⭐️ Dollar pizza

⭐️ Being a saver, not a spender

⭐️ Living off per diem while touring

⭐️ Rehearsal call versus a performance call

⭐️ Rates of pay for different numbers of instruments

⭐️ The differences between the piano and the keyboard

⭐️ Working a double,...

Mark as Played

Technical director Tab Birt discusses his journey through live entertainment, financial lessons learned along the way, and his dream of trading the stage for a glass artist’s studio in Norway.

 

Topics

⭐️ Glass blowing

⭐️ Not selling yourself short

⭐️ Getting on a stagehands union call list

⭐️ Burning out, being cynical, and the joy of theatre

⭐️ The secret investment vehicle called a ROTH IRA

 

Video Version

https://youtu.be/Kh9TP...

Mark as Played

Today’s show is an “ordinary and necessary” episode in which we learn about prepping and filing taxes for freelancer 1099 income.

 

Topics:

⭐️ Documentation matters!

⭐️ Personal expenses versus business expenses

⭐️ Tracking your expenses as you go

⭐️ Missing expenses are the number one way to pay more in taxes.

 

Video Version

https://youtu.be/EJBHsud0Iis

 

Artistic Finance

https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance

 

Aja M Jackson

https://...

Mark as Played

A guide of financial resources, and where to find them, for freelancers working in theatre or other facets of the entertainment industry.

 

⭐️ Unions

⭐️ Job boards

⭐️ Scholarships

⭐️ Financial Planning

⭐️ Taxes / Accountants

⭐️ Financial Communities

⭐️ Educational Worksheets & Supplements

⭐️ Community Resources - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

⭐️ Episodes of Artistic Finance - separated out by career focuses

 

Video Version:

...

Mark as Played

A panel of live event lighting and media professionals having a Q&A about career finances.

 

⭐️ Theatre Lighting Designer Christina Watanabe

⭐️ TV Lighting Designer Mike Grabowski

⭐️  Media Designer Zak Borovay

⭐️ TV Gaffer Seán Linehan

 

Topics:

⭐️ Taxes

⭐️ Agents

⭐️ Contracts

⭐️ USA 829 / LORT Contracts

 

Youtube Version

https://youtu.be/ojmSqEkGqi8

 

Artistic Finance

https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance

 

LDI

https://www.ldisho...

Mark as Played

An interview with television lighting designer Josh Hutchings about how intimate and taboo it is to discuss finances.

 

Topics:

⭐️ Compound interest

⭐️ Not having a financial plan

⭐️ Investing early and consistently

⭐️ It’s an industry based on relationships

⭐️ How intimate and taboo discussing finances is

⭐️ Making a financial life plan with the help of professionals

 

Video Version

https://youtu.be/6hFYG8HHQ0Y

 

Artistic Finance

...

Mark as Played

A discussion of various financial independence topics for people working in the creative industry. 

 

Topics:

⭐️ Improving Financial IQ

⭐️ The “starving artist” narrative

⭐️ Empowering confidence in personal financial decisions

 

A live episode recorded at LDI in collaboration with Amy D Lux / Lobolux Design's Financial Independence Club.

 

Video Version

https://youtu.be/Nqo4Z7UREKE

 

Artistic Finance

https://linktr.ee/artisticfina...

Mark as Played

Learn about the process of designing and producing live shows for music artists with our Los Angeles based guests: lighting designer and programmer, Erica D Hayes and COO and Show Director at Wasted Potential, Zach Berget.

 

Topics:

⭐️Balancing the creative vision of an artist with the logistical realities of large-scale budgets.

⭐️ The workflow behind developing these narratives and visual elements.

 

Video Version

TBDhttps://yout...

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Theatre director Oliver Butler discusses the state of pay for theatre directors.

 

Topics:

⭐️ Director Fees at Non-Profit Theatres in NYC

⭐️ Giving credit to the non profits that pay above the SDC minimum.

⭐️ Actionable steps to address the issue both for individuals and institutions.

⭐️ Discussing theatre pay honestly and in public so we don’t uphold the myth that it’s livable.

 

Video Version

https://youtu.be/8uT8SPDBXnk

 

Artist...

Mark as Played
December 16, 2024 83 mins

Theatre designers and their agents come together for an in-depth discussion on navigating agent-designer relationships, contract negotiations, and strategies for fair compensation in the theatre industry. 

 

Topics:

⭐️ Preparing for contract negotiations

⭐️ Challenges and solutions when negotiating

⭐️ Meeting and building relationships with agents

⭐️ Advice for early, mid-career, and high-profile designers

 

Youtube Version

https:/...

Mark as Played

Lighting designer Travis McHale talks business and finance as a theatre designer.

 

Topics:

⭐️ Self filing taxes

⭐️ Negotiating rates

⭐️ Reasons to be investing

⭐️ Paying off mortgages early

⭐️ The magic of compound interest

⭐️ Stress and negativity of credit card debt

 

Patreon Resource Version

https://www.patreon.com/posts/175-creative-are-117433546?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_crea...

Mark as Played

A conversation with lighting designer Don Holder.  

 

Topics:

⭐️ Advice for young designers

⭐️ Managing finances as a freelancer

⭐️ Advantages of filing taxes as a C Corp

 

Video Version

https://youtu.be/YXHdU1JVmRE

 

Artistic Finance

https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance

 

Don Holder

https://www.donaldholderlighting.com/welcome/portfolio/index.html

https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/donald-holder-25700

 

The Lion King

https:/...

Mark as Played

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