Jasmine Murrell has been a teacher, cleaned houses, done hair, and sold sunglasses and t-shirts on the street — all to support herself as an artist. This experience is normal for artists in New York. Facing rising costs of living, exploitation, and a lack of benefits and worker protections, many artists must work multiple jobs to make ends meet while pursuing their craft.

To raise awareness about the current state of artists’ lives and livelihoods and advocate for concrete policy change, CRNY unveiled the Art Takes Work video in Times Square in New York City on January 15 featuring seven artists: Betty Bastidas, Edward Cazares, Leslie Diuguid, Jasmine Murrell, Emma Stricker, and Will Wickham. The video is also being aired on digital CTV channels across New York State through the end of February. 

During the event, speakers CRNY Executive Director Sarah Calderón; Deputy Commissioner of NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Alton Murray; National Endowment for the Arts Senior Advisor on Partnerships, Expansion, & Innovation Jen Hughes; Multi-Grammy Award Winning Musician and Founder and Artistic Director, Afro Latin Jazz Alliance Arturo O’Farrill; Dance/NYC Co-Executive Director and Dancer Candace Thompson-Zachery; Artist and Right of Return Co-Founder Russell Craig; and Katie Loeb, Chief of Staff to NYC Councilmember Carlina Rivera shared the essential role artists play in our communities and the need for protections for artists as workers.

Dozens of supporters showed up in freezing temperatures to advocate for artists’ rights and share what the Art Takes Work campaign meant to them. One thing was clear: New York isn’t New York without artists, and without better working and living conditions, artists will be forced to leave the state. To keep New York vibrant, we need a statewide Creative Economy Strategic Plan with comprehensive policies that support the lives and livelihoods of artists and creative workers.

Ready to support New York artists? Visit ArtTakesWork.com or take action below.

1. Amplify the campaign

• Share the campaign video on Instagram or Facebook.  
• Tell the world what it takes to create art by adding the “Art Takes [Blank]” graphic to your Instagram story and filling in the blank with your own descriptive word(s). 
• Post a photo of yourself engaging with your art or survival job on Instagram using the hashtag #ArtTakesWork, and tag us at @creativesrebuildny for a chance to be featured on our stories.

2. Contact New York State Elected Officials

Establishing a statewide Creative Economy Strategic Plan is the first step toward comprehensive policies that support the lives and livelihoods of artists and creative workers. There are two ways that this can be enacted: through the Governor’s Office or through the State Legislature. Tell Governor Kathy Hochul, Senator Jose M. Serrano (Chair, NYS Senate Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation), and Assemblyman Al Stirpe (Chair, NYS Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce, and Industry) that you demand the creation of this plan! We’ve provided sample language below, but a personalized letter is always more impactful. Feel free to add your own testimony or experiences.  

• Send a message to Governor Hochul here. [Sample language]
• Email Senator Serrano here.
• Email Assemblyman Stirpe here.

3. Learn About Policies to Support Artists

New York Isn’t New York Without Artists is a step-by-step playbook for lawmakers at all levels of government to reference as they enact policies that empower artists. Learn more about the Playbook.

Art Takes Work was made possible by an incredible team of advocates for artists. Thank you to our campaign partners ACE! Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy, ArtsNYS, Asian American Arts Alliance, Black Artist Collective, Dance/NYC, Entertainment Community Fund, Freelancers’ Union, IndieSpace, Naturally Occurring Cultural Districts NY, New York Folklore, New York Foundation for the Arts, New Yorkers for Culture & Arts, NYC Arts in Education Roundtable, Rochester Artist Collaborative, Times Square Arts, and Tribeworks. And thank you to the creative team who brought the beautiful video to life: filmmakers Neglakay Productions, photographer J. Quazi King, and creative strategists BenjaminChapman. 

Photo of Co-Executive Director at Dance/NYC Candace Thompson-Zachery speaking at the Art Takes Work campaign launch in Times Square on January 15, 2025. Photo by Hollis Johnson.