jobfacts

Artists

SOC 2020 3411

Artists create artistic works using appropriate techniques, materials and media; design artwork and illustrations; and restore damaged pieces of art.

Also calledFine artistMedical illustratorClinical photographerMedical videographerMedical graphic designerMedical artistand 39 more titles
Typical full-time pay£47,8002025 Provisional
People in the job65,000across the UK
Demand for workersNot high
New adverts a month140↓ 9.2%on last year · 371st of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025
What full-time artists earn, 2025
£47,800 typicaln/ptop 10%
n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less thanNot published
Lowest 20% earn less thanNot published
25%Not published
Median£47,800
75%Not published
Top 20% earn more thanNot published
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
More than half (92%) of artists work for themselves. These pay figures only cover employees, so they may not reflect what self-employed artists earn.
Typical pay by regionUK median £47,800
North EastNot published by ONS–
North WestNot published by ONS–
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS–
East MidlandsNot published by ONS–
West MidlandsNot published by ONS–
East of EnglandNot published by ONS–
LondonNot published by ONS–
South EastNot published by ONS–
South WestNot published by ONS–
ScotlandNot published by ONS–
WalesNot published by ONS–
Show as table
UK median, £47,800
North EastNot published by ONS
North WestNot published by ONS
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS
East MidlandsNot published by ONS
West MidlandsNot published by ONS
East of EnglandNot published by ONS
LondonNot published by ONS
South EastNot published by ONS
South WestNot published by ONS
ScotlandNot published by ONS
WalesNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £30,800
  • 2024 £38,200
  • 2025 Provisional£47,800
↑ 55% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 140 jobs for artists are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as not high.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (1 in all)
Show as table
Aug 2026149
Jul 2026122
Jun 2026192
May 2026116
Apr 2026134
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026124
Jan 2026155
Dec 202575
Nov 2025145
Oct 2025137
Sept 2025187
Aug 2025131
Jul 2025139
Jun 2025200
May 2025202
Apr 2025135
Mar 2025132
Feb 2025157
Jan 2025149
Dec 2024100
Nov 2024132
Oct 2024162
Sept 2024185
Aug 2024132
Jul 2024202
Jun 2024228
May 2024194
Apr 2024141
Mar 2024195
Feb 2024187
Jan 2024222
Dec 2023159
Nov 2023140
Oct 2023173
Sept 2023190
Aug 2023173
Jul 2023173
Jun 2023239
May 2023247
Apr 2023163
Mar 2023207
Feb 2023184
Jan 2023251
Dec 2022195
Nov 2022225
Oct 2022250
Sept 2022241
Aug 2022225
Jul 2022241
Jun 2022254
May 2022289
Apr 2022236
Mar 2022228
Feb 2022237
Jan 2022281
Dec 2021252
Nov 2021255
Oct 2021313
Sept 2021349
Aug 2021174
Jul 2021193
Jun 2021178
May 2021197
Apr 2021162
Mar 2021227
Feb 202181
Jan 2021101
Dec 2020111
Nov 2020119
Oct 2020127
Sept 2020137
Aug 2020120
Jul 2020105
Jun 2020125
May 2020167
Apr 2020174
Mar 2020179
Feb 2020225
Jan 2020201
Dec 2019153
Nov 2019228
Oct 2019195
Sept 2019213
Aug 2019269
Jul 2019296
Jun 2019322
May 2019322
Apr 2019219
Mar 2019309
Feb 2019293
Jan 2019288
Dec 2018196
Nov 2018203
Oct 2018191
Sept 2018164
Aug 2018153
Jul 2018188
Jun 2018179
May 2018192
Apr 2018214
Mar 2018400
Feb 2018466
Jan 2018233
Dec 2017159
Nov 2017215
Oct 2017177
Sept 2017197
Aug 2017239
Jul 2017138
Jun 2017182
May 2017179
Apr 2017202
Mar 2017206
Feb 2017144
Jan 2017187
Is there a shortage of artists?
Not high

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment.

  • Visas grantedAbove usual
  • Online job advertsUsual
  • Wage growthUsual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedUsual
Note: uncertain in multiple indicators: online job advert density, hours and earnings due to proportion of self employed workers.
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
20%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for culture, media and sports occupations, which includes artists. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London104
City of Edinburgh22
Glasgow City13
Manchester11
Birmingham7
South Gloucestershire7
Dundee City7
Cambridge6
Leeds6
Bristol, City of5
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where artists are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. 264 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from Ukraine, India, China, ranking it 59th of 313. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
Age of artists
9.4%!
22%!
29%!
21%!
11%!
7.6%!
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
16–249.4% (small sample)
25–3422% (small sample)
35–4429% (small sample)
45–5421% (small sample)
55–6411% (small sample)
65+7.6% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent65%
Higher education below degree!3.5%
A levels or equivalent14%
GCSEs or equivalent!11%
Other qualifications!3.2%
No qualifications–
Not published
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent65%
Higher education below degree3.5% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent14%
GCSEs or equivalent11% (small sample)
Other qualifications3.2% (small sample)
No qualificationsNot published

Main employers: artistic creation (44%), other personal service activities nec (22%), other retail sale of new goods in specialised stores (6.3%), specialised design activities (4.6%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
65%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
2
from level 3
Apprenticeships take
18 months to 21 months
typically
Self-employed
92%
of people in the job

Routes in

Fine artist

You can get into this job through:

University

You'll need a high level of skill and talent in your chosen art form. To develop these skills, you could train by doing a degree or postgraduate award.

Subjects include:

  • art and design
  • art history
  • fine art
  • visual arts
  • graphic arts
  • printmaking
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • a foundation diploma in art and design
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
  • a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

College

You could do a college course like art and design or creative practice, to develop your skills.

Courses will usually give you the option to choose to study your preferred medium, for example:

  • painting or drawing
  • printmaking
  • photography and digital arts
  • ceramics
  • sculpture
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Other ways in

Volunteering

Volunteering with community arts projects can open up possibilities and extend your network of contacts, which might be useful for finding work.

Other routes

If you're exceptionally talented and have taught yourself, you may be able sell your work without formal training or qualifications.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

When applying for art courses, you will often need a portfolio of your work. It is a good idea to make a start on this as early as possible.

As a fine artist, you'll need to be able to promote yourself in different ways.

You could:

  • create an online presence through your own website, blog or social media channels
  • join together with other artists to form a 'collective' or artistic community
  • organise your own shows in galleries or other venues

You could also:

  • get an agent
  • illustrate products like books or greetings cards

Entering competitions or open exhibitions can also raise your profile as an artist. a-n The Artists Information Company regularly lists opportunities.

Professional and industry bodies

You could become a member of a-n The Artists Information Company or Visual Artists Association for networking and professional development opportunities.

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a fine artist from:

  • Artquest
  • Crafts Council

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for fine artist. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Medical illustrator

You can get into this job through:

University

To work in any branch of medical illustration, you normally need a degree in a relevant subject like:

  • photography
  • graphic design
  • illustration
  • art and design
  • film or video production

You can apply for a trainee position as a medical illustrator in a healthcare setting once you finish your degree.

As a trainee you could take a postgraduate qualification to specialise in:

  • clinical photography
  • graphic design for healthcare
  • medical art
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
  • a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

Work your way up

You can apply to do a postgraduate qualification in medical illustration and art if you're already working in healthcare and you have a relevant degree.

You might also start off as a medical photography assistant. You'll usually need a qualification in photography, which is equivalent to A level standard or higher, and be skilled in using image processing and editing software.

Registration and professional bodies

Registration
  • you could register with the Academy for Healthcare Science to demonstrate your professional skills and competence
Career tips

Medical illustration is a small and specialised field, and there's a lot of competition for vacancies. You'll improve your job prospects if you also have relevant work experience.

Contact your local university hospital or NHS trust's medical photography department to arrange a visit or some work shadowing.

Professional and industry bodies

You can join the Institute of Medical Illustrators for professional recognition, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.

Further information

You'll find more advice on careers and training in medical illustration and clinical photography through the Institute of Medical Illustrators and Health Careers.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for medical illustrator. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Illustrator

You can get into this job through:

University

You could do a higher national diploma or degree in illustration or a related subject like fine art, graphic design or art and design.

As well as qualifications to meet course entry requirements, you'll usually need a portfolio of your work to show at interviews.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • between 1 and 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a higher national diploma or degree

College

You can do a course in art and design, then go on to further study, or find a trainee position with an organisation.

Related courses are also be acceptable, such as:

  • fine art
  • graphic communication
  • photography
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You could take an apprenticeship to learn some of the skills you need to get started as an illustrator, like:

  • Junior VFX Artist or Assistant Technical Director Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
  • Junior Animator Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Apply directly

If you do not have art or design qualifications, you can contact companies directly to share examples of your work.

You can find information on the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook on how to:

  • get started as a freelance illustrator
  • prepare a portfolio
  • find a publisher

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

Whichever career path you take, you'll need a portfolio to showcase your creative skills.

You can create your portfolio through:

  • your own website
  • a blog
  • a printed version
  • social media platforms like Instagram

If you're working freelance, you can sell your work directly or through an agent.

Agents have access to a large network of buyers and will take a percentage of your sales as commission. The Society of Artists Agents has details of agents as well as examples of artists' work.

Further information

You can get more details about working in illustration from the Association of Illustrators (AOI).

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for illustrator. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Apprenticeships

2 for this job

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • conceives and develops ideas and ways of working for artistic composition
  • selects appropriate materials, medium and method
  • prepares sketches, scale drawings or colour schemes
  • builds up composition into finished work by carving, sculpting, etching, painting, engraving, drawing, etc.
  • approaches managers of galleries and exhibitions in order to get finished work displayed
  • uses artistic skills to restore damaged artworks
  • liaises with writers and publishers to produce book illustrations
  • markets and sells finished work directly to customers
  • produces works on commission basis for clients

Skills

  • assess conservation needs
  • keep personal administration
  • contextualise artistic work
  • develop artistic project budgets
  • develop educational activities
  • develop educational resources
  • participate in artistic mediation activities
  • plan art educational activities
  • collaborate with a technical staff in artistic productions
  • confer on artwork
  • gather reference materials for artwork
  • select artistic materials to create artworks
  • present exhibition
  • create artwork

Knowledge

  • art history
  • intellectual property law
  • labour legislation
  • copyright legislation
  • graphic design

Suits people who like

  • Creating and designing
  • Practical, hands-on work

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for culture, media and sports occupations, a group of 13 jobs that includes artists.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 10%about 79,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 2035442,000including people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.