Disclosing the fees would have put piece in context

Restricted budgets are very often the order of the day, so it was with interest that I read your feature on budget graphics (DW 3 April).

It would have been enlightening, however, for those parties other than Intro and The Big Issue to share their budgets with the readers. It would all have made much more sense with the numbers.

One person’s restricted budget is another’s pittance, or fortune, depending on where your business is positioned. Nobly, Intro forewent the ‘set fee’ of £150, and quite rightly too.

But why does an established company such as Knoll screw its designer’s budget down (by implication) to get what appears to be a pretty good hard-working piece?

We shall never know unless the figures are divulged, or they may be proved to be canny buyers for whom the established design group are doing a favour on the back of all those wonderful brochures and photoshoots.

Likewise, the respected regional Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne has to beg, plead or whatever in order to get work, which on paper it cannot afford for a price it can. Again, without the figures how do we know?

One thing’s for certain, it is shameful that arts organisations such as this do not have the budgets to pay the going rate…or do they? On the evidence Ian Pierce gives us, his company, NB Studio, seems to be putting the thought into the work and he clearly enjoys it. But does that mean it should be produced with so little pecuniary reward?

Maybe I’m just an old cynic and the reward is in the finished result, a job well done, and doing something that makes you feel just a little bit worthy. And that’s OK too. Now and again.

Jon Dudley

Creative director

Zerofiftyone

Brighton