Artistic Finance

Part two of the conversation with Broadway lighting designer Jane Cox.   Topics: ⭐️ Keeping overhead low ⭐️ Paying theatre designers hourly  ⭐️ Penny Remsen - Jane’s lighting mentor ⭐️ Paying for assistants / drafting out of the design fee ⭐️ Two recent design fees - one for an opera, one for an off Broadway musical   Video Version https://youtu.be/1qBXKh3-QfM [https://youtu.be/1qBXKh3-QfM]   Artistic Finance https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance [https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance]   False Steps - Off-Broadway Play https://www.falsestepscomedy.com/ [https://www.falsestepscomedy.com/]   Jane Cox https://janecoxlight.squarespace.com/ [https://janecoxlight.squarespace.com/] https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/jane-cox-115195 [https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/jane-cox-115195]   Sam Pinkleton https://sampinkleton.com/ [https://sampinkleton.com/]   Stacey Derosier  https://www.staceyderosier.com/ [https://www.staceyderosier.com/]   Accountants for Theatre Artists https://www.artisticfinance.com/resources.html [https://www.artisticfinance.com/resources.html]   Planned Parenthood https://www.plannedparenthood.org/donor-services [https://www.plannedparenthood.org/donor-services]   The Watershed https://thewatershed.org/donate/ [https://thewatershed.org/donate/]   Roundabout Workforce Development Program https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/education/career-training/theatrical-workforce-development-program [https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/education/career-training/theatrical-workforce-development-program]   1/52 Project https://www.oneeveryfiftytwo.org/ [https://www.oneeveryfiftytwo.org/]   Tech 25 in Pittsburgh (Jordan Gilliam) https://www.tech25.org/ [https://www.tech25.org/] Website temporarily down as of July 2025   Brighter Boston (Aja Jackson) https://www.brighterboston.org/ [https://www.brighterboston.org/]   Design Action https://www.design-action.com/ [https://www.design-action.com/]   LA Opera https://laopera.org/ [https://laopera.org/]   Teeth The Musical https://teeththemusical.com/ [https://teeththemusical.com/]   Playwrights Horizons https://www.playwrightshorizons.org/ [https://www.playwrightshorizons.org/]   Elsa Hiltner's Designer Pay Resource https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1myTM4B4VGfv21iJovNLYiIopUtsDClzSGLsFOsAZHi4/edit?gid=0#gid=0 [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1myTM4B4VGfv21iJovNLYiIopUtsDClzSGLsFOsAZHi4/edit?gid=0#gid=0]   Penny Remsen https://www.umass.edu/theater/about/directory/penny-remsen [https://www.umass.edu/theater/about/directory/penny-remsen] https://www.linkedin.com/in/penny-remsen-1b53b8a/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/penny-remsen-1b53b8a/]   Ben Stanton https://benstanton.com/ [https://benstanton.com/]   Justin Townsend https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/justin-townsend-117237 [https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/justin-townsend-117237]   Brian MacDevitt https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/brian-macdevitt-25766 [https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/brian-macdevitt-25766]   NYU Graduate Design School https://tisch.nyu.edu/design [https://tisch.nyu.edu/design]   University of Massachussets Amherts https://www.umass.edu/theater/ [https://www.umass.edu/theater/]   Jane Cox is a theater maker, an educator and a lighting designer working in theater, opera, dance and music. Jane won a Tony, a Drama Desk and the Henry Hewes award in 2024 for her lighting for Appropriate, and has three Tony nominations for Macbeth (‘22), Jitney (‘17) and Machinal (‘14). Her creative career has been built on relationships; some of the extraordinary theatrical artists who have shaped her creative life include Ruben Santiago-Hudson, John Doyle, Elise Thoron, Shariffa Ali, Caitríona MacLaughlin, Sam Pinkleton, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Stacey Derosier and Sam Gold. Jane is also inspired by her brilliant students and young alumni   Recent designs include a co-design for Michael R Jackson and Anna K Jacob’s Teeth with Stacey Derosier; Donnacha Dennehy’s Land of Winter at the Irish Arts Center; The Weir at the Abbey Theater in Dublin (her home town); Felon: An American Washi Tale; and The Marriage of Figaro, Cosi and Don Giovanni at San Francisco Opera. Upcoming projects include Marina Carr’s new trilogy at the Abbey in Dublin and the Rocky Horror Show on Broadway.   Other highlights have been co-organizing and hosting the 2023 symposium and creative convening The Future of Race in Design at the Park Avenue Armory with Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Mimi Lien and Mikaal Sulaiman; organizing a series of events with returning citizens in conjunction with performances of Felon: An American Washi Tale by Reginald Dwayne Betts; working with the engineer Naomi Leonard, composer Dan Trueman and co-designer Tess James on Rhythm Bots, a project investigating collective motion and rhythmic connection with robots; and receiving a Distinguished Achievement Award from USITT in 2025.   Jane has been a member of the Monica Bill Barnes dance company for more than twenty years and has been working with fellow lighting designer Tess James in many capacities for fifteen. She is a Professor of the Practice and Director of the Program in Theater and Music Theater at Princeton University, where she is also the co-director for the Fund for Irish Studies and a member of CreativeX. She is married to brilliant conceptual artist Evan Alexander and they have a fantastic teenage daughter who so far shows no interest in going into theatre.   Instagram Handles @janecoxlight [https://www.instagram.com/janecoxlight/] @ethansteimel [https://www.instagram.com/ethansteimel/] @nicolevsteimel [https://www.instagram.com/nicolevsteimel/?hl=en]

Lighting designer Jane Cox discusses life as a freelance theatre designer who has also taken on some full time academic work.   Topics: ⭐️ Parenting while working in the arts ⭐️ Paying student loans with a credit card ⭐️ Prioritizing the needs of the community above the market rate  ⭐️ The financial system working against theatre design as a career ⭐️ Jane’s tax rate as a freelancer nearing 50%, and having it lower once she started working a full time W2 job.   Video Version https://youtu.be/jA1IOCWmHFs [https://youtu.be/jA1IOCWmHFs]   Artistic Finance https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance [https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance]   Jane Cox https://janecoxlight.squarespace.com/ [https://janecoxlight.squarespace.com/] https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/jane-cox-115195 [https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/jane-cox-115195]   Appropriate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appropriate_(play) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appropriate_(play)]   Linda Essig https://www.artisticfinance.com/147.html [https://www.artisticfinance.com/147.html]   Penny Remsen https://www.umass.edu/theater/about/directory/penny-remsen [https://www.umass.edu/theater/about/directory/penny-remsen] https://www.linkedin.com/in/penny-remsen-1b53b8a/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/penny-remsen-1b53b8a/]   Irish Session https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_traditional_music_session [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_traditional_music_session]   Cory Pattak's Podcast https://in1podcast.com/ [https://in1podcast.com/]   Light Talk Podcast https://lighttalk.libsyn.com/ [https://lighttalk.libsyn.com/]   NYU Graduate Design School https://tisch.nyu.edu/design [https://tisch.nyu.edu/design]   University of Massachussets Amherts https://www.umass.edu/theater/ [https://www.umass.edu/theater/]   Clifton Taylor https://cliftontaylor.com/ [https://cliftontaylor.com/]   Jennifer Tipton https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Tipton [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Tipton]   False Steps - Off-Broadway Play https://www.falsestepscomedy.com/ [https://www.falsestepscomedy.com/]   Jane Cox is a theater maker, an educator and a lighting designer working in theater, opera, dance and music. Jane won a Tony, a Drama Desk and the Henry Hewes award in 2024 for her lighting for Appropriate, and has three Tony nominations for Macbeth (‘22), Jitney (‘17) and Machinal (‘14). Her creative career has been built on relationships; some of the extraordinary theatrical artists who have shaped her creative life include Ruben Santiago-Hudson, John Doyle, Elise Thoron, Shariffa Ali, Caitríona MacLaughlin, Sam Pinkleton, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Stacey Derosier and Sam Gold. Jane is also inspired by her brilliant students and young alumni   Recent designs include a co-design for Michael R Jackson and Anna K Jacob’s Teeth with Stacey Derosier; Donnacha Dennehy’s Land of Winter at the Irish Arts Center; The Weir at the Abbey Theater in Dublin (her home town); Felon: An American Washi Tale; and The Marriage of Figaro, Cosi and Don Giovanni at San Francisco Opera. Upcoming projects include Marina Carr’s new trilogy at the Abbey in Dublin and the Rocky Horror Show on Broadway.   Other highlights have been co-organizing and hosting the 2023 symposium and creative convening The Future of Race in Design at the Park Avenue Armory with Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Mimi Lien and Mikaal Sulaiman; organizing a series of events with returning citizens in conjunction with performances of Felon: An American Washi Tale by Reginald Dwayne Betts; working with the engineer Naomi Leonard, composer Dan Trueman and co-designer Tess James on Rhythm Bots, a project investigating collective motion and rhythmic connection with robots; and receiving a Distinguished Achievement Award from USITT in 2025.   Jane has been a member of the Monica Bill Barnes dance company for more than twenty years and has been working with fellow lighting designer Tess James in many capacities for fifteen. She is a Professor of the Practice and Director of the Program in Theater and Music Theater at Princeton University, where she is also the co-director for the Fund for Irish Studies and a member of CreativeX. She is married to brilliant conceptual artist Evan Alexander and they have a fantastic teenage daughter who so far shows no interest in going into theatre.   Instagram Handles @janecoxlight [https://www.instagram.com/janecoxlight/] @ethansteimel [https://www.instagram.com/ethansteimel/] @nicolevsteimel [https://www.instagram.com/nicolevsteimel/?hl=en]

An update on the $6,000 of investments we made in May of 2021.   Four lighting designers and a bond investment CEO review how our investments compare to the S&P 500.   Video Version https://youtu.be/_hiXSC5HY6A [https://youtu.be/_hiXSC5HY6A]   Artistic Finance https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance [https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance]   False Steps: A Ballroom Comedy https://www.falsestepscomedy.com/ [https://www.falsestepscomedy.com/]   ETFs: IVV - iShares Core S&P 500 [https://etfdb.com/etf/IVV/#etf-ticker-profile]   Stocks: VST - Vistra Corp [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/VST] LAC - Lithium Americas [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/LAC] TAP - Molson Coors Beverage (owners of Blue Moon) [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/TAP] SKLZ- Skillz [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SKLZ]   Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitcoin]   Wine: Vinovest [https://app.vinovest.co?grsf=2p0wk3]   Real Estate - REITS: REG - Regency Centers Corp -Previously UBA [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/UBA] SRG - Seritage Growth Properties [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SRG] VICI - Experiential Real Estate - Previously MGM Properties [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MGP] STAG - STAG Industrial [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/STAG]   Art: Bret Slater - Artist https://www.bretslater.com/ [https://www.bretslater.com/]  https://www.patreon.com/posts/64295618 [https://www.patreon.com/posts/64295618]   VTSAX - Total USA Stock Market Index Fund https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/VTSAX/ [https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/VTSAX/]   Coinbase - COIN https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/COIN/ [https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/COIN/]   Masterworks https://www.masterworks.com/ [https://www.masterworks.com/]   Bridget Riley https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridget_Riley [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridget_Riley]   Kroger - KR https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/KR/ [https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/KR/]   Nvidia - NVDA https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/NVDA/ [https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/NVDA/]   Daktronics - DAKT https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/DAKT/ [https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/DAKT/]   Maithreyi Gopalakrishnan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maithreyi-gopalakrishnan/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maithreyi-gopalakrishnan/] https://www.liquidificorp.com/ [https://www.liquidificorp.com/]   Ebony Madry: https://www.instagram.com/ebmadry/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/ebmadry/?hl=en] https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebony-madry-6a9651139/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebony-madry-6a9651139/]   Amy D Lux: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-d-lux-953a7318a/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-d-lux-953a7318a/] https://utopiadreamscape.com/author/luvlogica/ [https://utopiadreamscape.com/author/luvlogica/]   Gary Archer https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-archer-31482933/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-archer-31482933/] https://www.instagram.com/lightdesign2020/ [https://www.instagram.com/lightdesign2020/]   Ethan Steimel https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethansteimel/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethansteimel/] https://www.instagram.com/artisticfinance/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/artisticfinance/?hl=en]   Instagram Handles @ebmadry [https://www.instagram.com/ebmadry/] @liquidifi [https://www.instagram.com/liquidifi/] @officialamydlux [https://www.instagram.com/officialamydlux/?hl=en] @lightdesign2020 [https://www.instagram.com/lightdesign2020/] @ethansteimel [https://www.instagram.com/ethansteimel/?hl=en] @artisticfinance [https://www.instagram.com/artisticfinance/?hl=en]

Set designer Vincent Gunn talks about the benefits of tracking the hours that you work.   Topics: ⭐️ Valuing your time  ⭐️ Investing the money in your retirement account ⭐️ Writing things down and getting them out of your head ⭐️ Designers thinking about work even when they’re not at work   Video Version https://youtu.be/g1BZrnh3l7A [https://youtu.be/g1BZrnh3l7A]   Artistic Finance https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance [https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance]   Vincent Gunn https://www.vincentgunn.com/ [https://www.vincentgunn.com/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-gunn-3a45aab2/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-gunn-3a45aab2/] https://www.instagram.com/vincentgunndesign/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/vincentgunndesign/?hl=en]   Hours Tracker https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P-ujmcgDcdZYxW78hqBa3HgiBdlI0gGK0LGG2RoNZqw/edit?usp=sharing [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P-ujmcgDcdZYxW78hqBa3HgiBdlI0gGK0LGG2RoNZqw/edit?usp=sharing]   NEA Budget Cut Tracker https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cHCTXssMWuMweRLUjGQKtsck_rg7v4tMg7cpfzDQil8/htmlview?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaeulUJ--0GngJ37kmfk-9enz2w9TczbBkJ8hs4U-ZuBgeaGYyF4TCzLnnQi4Q_aem_6SEys-aWiD8H-wxOGseuWw%23gid%3D0 [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cHCTXssMWuMweRLUjGQKtsck_rg7v4tMg7cpfzDQil8/htmlview?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaeulUJ--0GngJ37kmfk-9enz2w9TczbBkJ8hs4U-ZuBgeaGYyF4TCzLnnQi4Q_aem_6SEys-aWiD8H-wxOGseuWw%23gid%3D0]   Liability Insurance for Lighting Folx https://www.artisticfinance.com/136.html [https://www.artisticfinance.com/136.html]   Liability Insurance for Performers https://www.artisticfinance.com/141.html [https://www.artisticfinance.com/141.html]   Vincent (he/him) is a New Jersey based Scenic Designer. He has designed shows for various theatre companies in the New York area and beyond including York Theatre Company, Centenary Stage Company, Vanguard Theater Company, St. Bart's Players, Stella Adler Studio of Acting, Post Theatre Company, the Metropolitan Playhouse, the New London Barn Playhouse, and various educational venues. He has assisted designers on productions at venues such as The New York Philharmonic, LABrynth Theater Company, Irish Repertory Theatre, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Roundabout Black Box, BAM Fisher, La Mama ETC and INTAR. Vincent has a B.A. in Theatre Design and Production from Fordham University. vincentgunn.com [http://vincentgunn.com/] @vincentgunndesign   Instagram Handles @ethansteimel [https://www.instagram.com/ethansteimel/] @nicolevsteimel [https://www.instagram.com/nicolevsteimel/?hl=en] @vincentgunndesign [https://www.instagram.com/vincentgunndesign/?hl=en]

TheatrIcal lighting designer Jason Lynch talks about freelancing in Chicago.    Topics: ⭐️ LLCs ⭐️ Estate Sales ⭐️ Keeping our humanity ⭐️ Investing in the S&P 500 ⭐️ Some of Jason’s recent design fees ⭐️ Moving to a big theatre city, that’s not New York   Video Version https://youtu.be/y5PApxbBG_I [https://youtu.be/y5PApxbBG_I]   Artistic Finance https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance [https://linktr.ee/artisticfinance]   Jason Lynch https://www.jasondlynch.com/ [https://www.jasondlynch.com/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasondlynch/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasondlynch/] https://www.instagram.com/jasonlynch.design/ [https://www.instagram.com/jasonlynch.design/]   Vehicle Expenses Tracker https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kDb48wLKWWnkGigyu52tYYGWRHDV2h-Ai7AizNCrtb8/edit?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZh7dkkg9Htl1oE4M46Emo-Cw8yEahk7n90sRBCDy5R32W5D1xbTHSjvYI_aem_adKVVnGYaIN_xPS6bS21wQ&gid=1052323773#gid=1052323773 [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kDb48wLKWWnkGigyu52tYYGWRHDV2h-Ai7AizNCrtb8/edit?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZh7dkkg9Htl1oE4M46Emo-Cw8yEahk7n90sRBCDy5R32W5D1xbTHSjvYI_aem_adKVVnGYaIN_xPS6bS21wQ&gid=1052323773#gid=1052323773]   IRS.gov https://www.irs.gov/ [https://www.irs.gov/]   Lynn Nottage - "Why I'll Never Make It" Interview https://broadwaypodcastnetwork.com/podcasts/why-i-ll-never-make-it/lynn-nottage-writes-through-some-of-life-s-hardest-moments/366 [https://broadwaypodcastnetwork.com/podcasts/why-i-ll-never-make-it/lynn-nottage-writes-through-some-of-life-s-hardest-moments/366]   SPY https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/SPY/ [https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/SPY/]   Arrived - Real Estate Investing https://arrived.com/ [https://arrived.com/]   Lofty - Real Estate Investing https://www.lofty.ai/ [https://www.lofty.ai/]   OSF - Oregon Shakespeare Festival https://www.osfashland.org/ [https://www.osfashland.org/]   Indiana Rep https://www.irtlive.com/ [https://www.irtlive.com/]   Estate Sales https://www.estatesales.net/ [https://www.estatesales.net/]   JASON LYNCH is a Chicago-based lighting designer for theatre, dance, opera, and other live performance art. Regional: Alley Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, City Theatre Company, Dallas Theater Center, Denver Center Theatre Company, George Street Playhouse, Geva Theatre Center, Goodman Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, Huntington Theatre Company, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Northlight Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, The Old Globe, Trinity Repertory Company, among others.  Lynch was also the recipient of the 2022 Equity Jeff Award for his work on Choir Boy at Steppenwolf Theatre and the 2019 Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award, which recognizes emerging theatrical designers within the Chicago area. Jason is represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of the IATSE and The Gersh Agency. jasondlynch.com [http://jasondlynch.com/], @jasonlynch.design   Instagram handles: @jasonlynch.design [https://www.instagram.com/jasonlynch.design/] @ethansteimel [https://www.instagram.com/ethansteimel/] @nicolevsteimel [https://www.instagram.com/nicolevsteimel/?hl=en]