What's your opinion?

I just posted on another thread questioning what is fair for bringing in another painter to your gig. I would love to hear what others think. Here is the scenario.

You have an awesome gig that you know will require a second painter. You have a friend that you know has all of the necessary equipment, paints and experience. Your booth fee is $300 for a weekend. Do you ask that painter to split the booth fee with you, or do you take a percentage of their work?

I personally feel like another professional using their own stuff deserves to make what they make. They can pay half of the booth fee, so it saves you money. I was asked to work at 60/40 split. I eventually declined the offer... and was a little put off. Thoughts?

I think split the $300 & each one keeps their earning bc u are not putting any of her material.

I think 50/50 is more than generous as you are bring the tent and all of that stuff, is she helping with set up or take down? What about insurance or business name? I think you were fair, can you find someone else who will agree?

I'm not sure why you would have been put off at at 60/40 offer. Business offers can be made and declined...they must have liked your work and been willing to work with you, so I think it was a compliment. Many seem to forget that face painting crosses over into the entertainment field and it is VERY usual for a performer even just passing a gig a long to expect a fee.
If you work through an agent fees are paid.
IMO if you are being paid money you feel reflects your skill level is all that counts. If you are in a position where you simply need the $$$ or simply to work to improve you may jump quicker than if you don't need it. It is a choice not a rule.
When working with someone else I would be more concerned on people believing you are a company so everything they do reflects upon you. Even when you are giving out your own material the general public often doesn't notice.
Of course this is coming from a control freak...I'd want to know the setup looked good, the payment was made the signs were just right for the event...you get the idea. I'd have to know someone was in charge...if I'm working for someone else then that is their responsibility.
However, if it's one time deal and she is a REAL friend then it could be true fun to work together and you may build something from there. Otherwise find someone quick and teach them glitter tatts and make $$$$$$ for you. This maybe a step up for your company and open new horizons for you.
Your work is outstanding so she'd have a hard act to keep up with.

Let me clarify what I meant by 60/40. In the beginning, I thought it meant we calculate everything that was made between the two of us and she keeps 60%... I keep 40%. That seemed more than fair considering the booth fee... ect. What she actually meant is that she would keep 40% of MY earnings and 100% of her own. Would you work for that? Lorin.. do you mean you take 50% of everything the other painter makes?

Definately not fair! There is no way I would consider an offer where they kept 100% plus 40% of your own earnings. I would feel cheated out of my money. I think spliting the $300 fee between each of you and then keeping what you make is a good/fair way to do things. It reflects the time, energy and creative talent that YOU put into the gig.

I would think it would be more difficult to keep track of who painted how many faces, unless you had someone counting as they took money. If I was the one with the gig, needing an extra painter, I'd pay the booth fee, promote only my business, and pay the extra painter what she made, minus 10% as an agent fee.
If I found a gig that needed two painters, and she paid half the booth fee, we'd each keep what we made, and I'd promote only my business.
If SHE found a gig and needed two painters, and I split the booth fee with her, she'd promote her business and we'd each keep what we made.
Either way, it would depend upon who found the gig, and how the booth fee was divided.
And whichever way we chose to split it, we would each provide our own paint and supplies.

Wait...so it's YOUR gig, and you are giving them the opportunity to come and work in YOUR space, and they want to keep thier $$, have some of your $$, and YOU pay for the tent....is that right?

If I have this right, that is just nuts!!

The 60/40 split is a very common deal. Sometimes I do work for that split, sometimes I offer that deal to others myself, it depends on the leg work and behind the scenes stuff I have into the event. If you just get to show up and paint...and I do all the rest, take the risk, provide the tables canopy etc...than sometimes it is worth it. Also, when a 'new' painter works with me, I may see their quality, but I don't know their personality, speed etc, so I start with that payment structure, if they do really well, it gives me room to reward them, and also leaves room for a raise in the future. Do you walk in to any other profession and keep everything you make? nope... And I think it also depends on how you work, for some this is a hobby, for me it is my fulltime job...if it were my hobby, I don't invest as much in marketing and legwork so I can afford to give away work...as a fulltimer...no. I will be fair, but when I bring someone in..it still has to benefit my business financially to match the risk. Once I have an established relationship with someone...then we go to the payment schedule where the booth fee comes off the top, and then I take 10% they keep 90%.

Diane.. I think 10% agent fee is more than fair.

sorry everyone, I didn't explain this well.
Mehndi, sorry. Those were 2 separate thoughts. The first was an imaginary "what would you do" scenario, and then the last comment about a 60/40 split was an actual situation I encountered where someone else got a booth and needed another painter. She wanted to keep 40% of my earnings. She was paying the booth fee and setting up the tent. But.. this was a 10 day event and it was VERY busy. Easily $800 a day earnings if you work straight though the day. ($320 of my earnings EVERY DAY straight into her pocket). So... I knew I would have covered her booth fee 4 times over by the end of the thing. Didn't feel fair.

SKJFunny... I totally agree. 10% agent fee totally fine. Not 40% of my earnings. I wasn't referring to the splitting of the booth fee. I would pay 60% of a booth fee that someone else arranged. Absolutely.

Ahhh..... I get it now....I'll leave that to the experts! Not a 21yr old** lol:)

FYI, the 60/40 is what they do for the Texas State Fair. And you are right, it doesn't always work for you, but sometimes it works. And...some fairs, the person who has the contract also has expenses above booth fees, I know in NY for the State Fair you have to pay workers comp if you have anyone in your booth including family members or unpaid volunteers, some fairs require special signage...some places you get no passes with your booth, you have to pay for every worker to have their 'free' pass...other fairs no longer allow EZ ups, you have to have actual carnival tents...so many possibilities...

Kat in the area it really depends on who you can get. A lot of the face painters get nasty when you take a percentage of their profits. I would just do half the booth fee.

I think gamezgirl is pretty smart in the world of festivals & knows the business quite well. If I was providing the tent, booth fees, extra insurance, etc. I'd be taking on most of the risk for the fair. I'd take a 60/40 split w/ my workers also. My kids actually make only 20% but, they're still teens & I can get away w/ it... I'm providing their paints, etc. The hardest part is keeping the pay & the tips separate. Often the parents will want to give the payment & tip at the same time(or stick both in the tip jar). I think a person should keep their tips & it should be a bonus above & beyond the artist 60/40 split.

Now, if the 2 or more painters are willing to take on all the vendor fees equally then the split should be equal.

I think they should share the costs involved for the event and then keep their own income.

I agree gamezgirl. There are always factors outside of just the booth rent. And I agree, Linda. People should be able to keep their tips.