Arts Council launches The Freelancers Handbook 2026
12 October 2026 by Michelle
Arts Council England has published a new Freelancers’ Handbook for Creative and Cultural Practitioners, offering practical support to freelancers across the cultural sector, and guidance for the organisations that work with them.
An estimated 30% of the cultural workforce operate as freelancers.
This free digital handbook was co-created by Arts Council England and freelancers, for freelancers, and covers essential topics including contracts, finding work, fair pay, fees and late payments, funding, legal and financial knowledge, tax, business development, and professional wellbeing.
Written and co-edited by independent cultural consultant Rachel Mapplebeck, the Freelancers’ Handbook has been developed in response to findings from the 2024 Cultural Freelancers Study, Arts Council England’s first major study of its kind, which surveyed and consulted more than 5,000 cultural freelancers.
The handbook's chapters include contributions from freelancers who analysed Arts Council’s existing policies and assisted in the development of the Freelancers’ Handbook.