The Queens Museum’s Open A.I.R. Artist Services Program invites you to a panel on finances and taxes for artists with Ander Mikalson.

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Artists are resourceful, hard-working and excellent at realizing ambitious projects. What would happen if we directed that same ingenuity and resolve towards that of avoided, feared and derided source of anxiety – our money? Can we create an alternative model for sustaining a lifetime of artistic production? Could such a model allow non-traditional, non-commercial practices to flourish? Could it particularly support artists of color, women artists, artists who have disabilities, trans and queer artists?

In this workshop we’ll discuss alternative models for financial sustainability, along with the nuts and bolts of artist finances, including:

• Types of business entities and which is best for your situation

• Record keeping and why it pays to keep good records, even if it’s annoying (and how to make it less annoying)

• Budgeting and how to spend less than you earn

• Tax prep and FAQ tax questions (i.e. How many years can I declare a loss? Is it better to be an employee or a contractor?)

• Good financial practices when working with galleries and institutions

• Navigating Obamacare

• Flexible day jobs that pay way more than art handling or teaching

• Attacking credit card debt and student loans

• Investing and why the stock market isn’t scary

• Real estate for artists

• What to do if you start making a lot of money from your work

• What to do if you’ll never make a lot of money from your work

About Ander Mikalson: Ander Mikalson is an artist who supports her performance-based practice with money she earns as a freelance bookkeeper.  She has over five years of experience managing the finances of various artists, designers and galleries. 

Mikalson holds an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University and attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Her performances have been shown at The Art, Design & Architecture Museum (Santa Barbara, CA), Churner & Churner (New York, NY), Queens Museum (Queens, NY), Temple Contemporary (Philadelphia, PA), Institute of Contemporary Art (Portland, ME), Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond, VA), and Tensta Konsthall (Stockholm, Sweden), among others. She is currently an artist in residence at the Queens Museum and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Arts Center.

About the Open A.I.R. Artist Services Program: Open A.I.R. draws on the Queens Museum’s resources, staff expertise, and networks to provide workshops and lectures that help artists grow their practice, advance their career, and develop sustainable lives as artists. Given the Museum’s commitment to socially-engaged art that crosses sectors, as well as attention to its role in neighboring communities, Open A.I.R. works to expand the notion of who is an artist and, moreover, utilizes a holistic view of how to support their potential to thrive and contribute to the cultural landscape of Queens and New York City more broadly. Tailored to artists in the outer boroughs, Open A.I.R. prioritizes the needs of artists of color, queer artists, and immigrant artists, facilitating conversations where art meets activism, and organizing experiences that bring together artists and non-artists.

Open A.I.R. is made possible by a generous grant from The Scherman Foundation’s Katharine S. and Axel G. Rosin Fund. Additional support provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

Disclaimer: Mikalson is not a Certified Public Accountant or lawyer. Mikalson and the Queens Museum make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information offered in this workshop and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use.

Questions? Email sespinoza@queensmuseum.org