For artist entrepreneurs, successful time management is successful self-management. And successful self-management requires planning and organization and discipline—the ability to respond and commit to your needs and wants first and foremost.

We currently see how fragile artist careers can be when contracts and attention suddenly collapse. Talent therefore seems not to be enough to guarantee a long-term career as an artist entrepreneur. That’s why Marco Thom has developed a matrix of necessary management skills for self-employed artists and cultural entrepreneurs that is already used around the world.

With change as a given, plans ensure preparedness for artist entrepreneurs. This means being proactive rather than reactive. Plans ensure not panicking about what’s taking place around you. No matter the circumstances. Artist entrepreneurs, like many of us, often don't spend time to consider where they are going. If this is the case for you, how will you know how to get there?

The success of artists lies very much within their own mission. Often the struggle of earning enough money to live can mean that artists start working in ways that causes exhaustion and upset. anGie seah is an artist living in Singapore who follows her heart and measures success against her level of enjoyment. But, does this pay the bills? It seems that it can.

Since 2012, SPACE has been leading partner on delivering artist professional development programmes for the arts sector in London. During this time, our focus has been on encouraging artists to reframe their practice as a business. Here is what the artists - and we as training providers - learned.