Conversations about how to financially sustain a career as a theatre artist.
Conversations about how to financially sustain a career as a theatre artist.
"Make yours sustainable by not overcommitting and don't let details get in your way."
Today Ethan Steimel, the creator of Artistic Finance shares his story of arts podcasts.
► Tell us about you and your podcast
I'm a theatrical lighting designer who spent a decade in NYC as a lighting designer in theater and television. Artistic Finance is a show where I ask fellow colleagues about how they financially sustain their career. A lot of our listeners are theatre workers (designers, electricians, etc) who are figuring out how to pay their bills, and become financially well off, while working in what can be a gruelling industry.
► Why & how did you start this podcast?
I started this podcast because I'm a consumer of podcasts. Listening to others talk is ideal so I can keep my eyes and hands free for other tasks (like drafting light plots). The idea to have financial discussions with artists came about because I made some financial mistakes by listening to my lighting designer bosses and their misguided business advice. It was well intentioned but wrong. The reason I wanted it on a public forum was because people like me don't want to have the conversation with our own social circle, but we do want to have the conversation. I had the idea in my head for 10 years. When live events were halted and we were locked down and in NYC during COVID, I put my energy into creating a format, brushing up my public speaking skills, and premiered within a month.
► How'd you find the time and funding to do this podcast?
A supportive spouse who lets me interview and edit into the late night and early morning. It's a challenge working in theatre (16 hour days, 6 day weeks) and creating a podcast, but somehow it happens. That's where the time comes from. The funding was a hundred dollars to get a podcast hosting subscription, and everything else was free. I have opened up a patreon page for super listeners, and that has gotten me $3,000 over the years which has helped me buy a microphone and other equipment.
► What do you gain from podcasting?
I gained new people in the entertainment industry who figured out their finances. Every listener I've met is actually better with finances and show "business" than I am. By connecting, I feel like I'm in a safer space to discuss my mistakes and learn from them.
► How does your podcasting process look like?
I am a bare bones podcaster. I record with free software on my Mac computer. While I have done some amazing in person interviews at the Live Design International (LDI) conference in Las Vegas, all my interviews are via Zoom for the convenience of my guests who are hard working theatre artists.
For promo graphics I use a free Canva.com account and for a monthly newsletter (for those that don't like to listen) I merely send it out using Gmail.
► How do you market your show?
I don't market! I know that's terrible but I don't have the bandwidth or want to finance it. Each week when I release an episode, I publish a promo graphic on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Thankfully my listeners subscribe, so they automatically get the new episode.
I do send a monthly email newsletter to listeners. It's sort of marketing and actually takes awhile to type up. I created a google form for people to sign up and I check for new emails before sending.
► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?
Just do it. There are good, bad, and ugly podcasts out there. Most people don't sustain them for long and they disappear after a year or two. Make yours sustainable by not overcommitting and don't let details get in your way. The important thing is that you have a unique voice and perspective and you need to get that uploaded and onto the podcast universe. Don't waste your time on social media. Waste your time on creating and publishing the episodes.
► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?
Search "Artistic Finance" anywhere and you'll find it. If you know of any artists who are good (or bad) with money and I should interview them, send me a message or DM.