By ROHIT CHOPRA, Special to The Arts Politic
Published online: July 24, 2009

Van Gogh's Room at Arles: a visual testament to an artist's biggest cost: housing.

My favorite scene in La bohème is when Benoit, the landlord, comes to collect the rent from his cashless Bohemian tenants.  The solution: get him drunk and he’ll forget.

Maybe this worked in Paris in 1840, but now it seems like landlords have a Blackberry button that instantly e-mails you an eviction notice.

History is full of tales about artists struggling financially.  But it’s relatively more expensive to get by in major metropolitan areas than it was generations ago.  Few of us are trust fund babies.  And most of us don’t want to be gold diggers with creepy, rich people.  So what can an aspiring cultural entrepreneur do to stay afloat?

The Right Place. Limiting your fixed monthly costs when you have irregular income is critical.  At the same time, you also want to be able to access a strong community of artists to seek out opportunities and support.

Your biggest fixed cost will usually be housing.  For performance artists, you’ll almost certainly need to live in or near a major city.  If your work allows you to live outside of a big city, consider more affordable artist-friendly cities like Santa Fe, Austin, and Nashville. If you need to be in New York or Los Angeles, minimize your rent and help stay motivated by living with other artists in less expensive, emerging neighborhoods.

The Right Space. There are so many upfront costs for many performers that are difficult to stomach.    Explore arrangements that allow you to access space as part of another income-earning opportunity.  Many dance studios and art schools allow their part-time instructors to use their space outside of class time.  Consider finding a local artist cooperative which can significantly reduce your costs.

The Right Time. Becoming a full-time artist requires you to be 100% emotionally committed to your work.  Until that time, experiment, network, and save.  Start by pursuing your passion on nights and weekends.  Meet people who will be helpful to you down the road.

Most importantly, work hard and save.  As you become more serious, shift your time from your day job to your artistic goals.

The Right Plan. You should develop a budget the conservatively estimates your monthly income.  Don’t skimp on necessities, like health insurance. Save receipts — sections of the tax code support the arts, so don’t miss out on those deductions. Organizations like the Freelancers Union allow artists to purchase insurance at group rates.

If your plan absolutely requires you to go into debt, take the time to improve your credit first, so that you can qualify for 0% introductory credit card rates or other low-interest loans.

The Right Price. Don’t sell yourself short.  When offering your services, be sure to properly price your performance, and don’t be afraid to negotiate.  Only accept gigs that at below-market prices unless there is a real opportunity to expand your fan base.

Whether you’re a dancer or a drummer, don’t think that you can’t use your creativity to make ends meet.  When your artistic strategy has a complementary financial strategy, you’ll be more empowered (and hopefully more inspired) to create something great.

Rohit Chopra is the Director of the Center for Sensible Finance.