At Strange Field everyone is paid the same hourly rate. This is not a default or a compromise, it is a deliberate and considered policy rooted in our values.
Why we pay everyone the same
Traditional pay hierarchies reward seniority, status, and ladder climbing, not the quality or impact of what people actually produce. A long-serving manager can earn three times more than a workshop facilitator whose work directly changes lives, simply because of where they sit in a structure. That's not a measure of value. It's a measure of proximity to power.
We reject that model.
Our flat pay structure is part of a wider effort to reconfigure how value is recognised within cultural work. In place of conventional hierarchies, we adopt a single shared rate that treats all contributions - organisational, technical, relational, artistic - as interdependent. This approach is less about equal pay as a principle, and more about redesigning the underlying conditions of collaboration: reducing power asymmetries, challenging inherited inequities, and building an organisational ecosystem where creative practice is supported by structures aligned with fairness, mutual care, and long-term sustainability.
We believe every role at Strange Field is equally valuable. What matters is the quality of your work and its contribution to our mission, not your job title, how long you've been here, or how many people report to you. A flat pay scale reflects that belief in practice, not just in words.
We also recognise that many of our team are practicing artists. A flat rate that allows people to work fewer hours - rather than full time at a lower rate - means creative practices can be maintained outside of work. We think that's important. Strange Field is stronger for having a team of people who make things, not just manage them.
Flat pay is also a small but deliberate contribution to a more inclusive creative ecology. A higher hourly rate means someone without independent wealth or a financial safety net can afford to work part time at Strange Field while maintaining their practice, rather than having to choose between financial survival and creative work. We think that matters. The arts have long been accessible only to those who can afford to work for less. We're trying to change that, one rate at a time.
Who this applies to
All employees - flat rate applies regardless of hours or role
Freelance contractors on short or one-off commissions - fees benchmarked against SAU Recommended Rates of Pay
Freelance contractors on longer, time-defined contracts (14 hours or more per week over 3 or more months) - Strange Field flat rate applies
Where a freelance engagement begins to resemble ongoing employment - in terms of hours, duration, control, or exclusivity - Strange Field will review the engagement status. We take our legal obligations seriously and will always seek HR advice where there is any doubt.
What we pay
Our flat rate is currently £34,000 FTE / £18 per hour. This is benchmarked against the UK median household disposable income (ONS) and reviewed and increased via our funding strategy.
Artist and freelance fees are benchmarked separately against Scottish Artists Union (SAU)
How pay increases work
Pay increases are built into our funding strategy. We aim to increase the flat rate by a set percentage with each funding application, tracking this over time to ensure the rate keeps pace with inflation and the cost of living.
Trustees
Strange Field's trustees are volunteers and are not currently paid. We are grateful for their time and commitment. We recognise this means trustees are only able to give their time if they can afford to - and that this creates its own inequality. This is something we want to address in future as the organisation grows.