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Artistic Finance

Artistic Finance

Written by: Artistic Finance
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 Artistic Finance provides theatre makers with honest, no-pretension insights into managing money in the entertainment industry. Hosted by lighting designer Ethan Steimel, this podcast delves into the personal finance challenges and business realities of show business, offering candid advice and practical tools tailored to creatives working behind the scenes. https://www.artisticfinance.com/Copyright 2020-2024 All rights reserved. Art Entertainment & Performing Arts
Episodes
  • 197: Never Doing Just One Thing with Choreographer Staś Kmieć

    197: Never Doing Just One Thing with Choreographer Staś Kmieć
    Jan 28 2026
    Choreographer Staś Kmieć explains how he’s handled the business side of his theatre and dance career. Topics: ⭐️ Tax filing ⭐️ Healthcare ⭐️ Fiddler On The Roof ⭐️ Not spending money when on tour Video Version: https://youtu.be/CUtkLbPZnQ4 Staś Kmieć https://www.linkedin.com/in/sta%C5%9B-kmie%C4%87-462b8519/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sta%C5%9B_Kmie%C4%87 Guernica by Pablo Picasso https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guernica_(Picasso) Sammy Dallas Bayes https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/sammy-dallas-bayes-1044 Heathers https://heathersthemusical.com/ VITA - Free Tax Filing https://www.sagaftra.org/ny/vita Accountants for Creatives https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YG1sgP4LqJa6Rk5CBdnvlQ2ByEvzFNKSS6uI61QkMlY/edit?tab=t.0 Fiddler on the Roof - In Yiddish https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidler_Afn_Dakh Me and My Girl https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Me_and_My_Girl The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Best_Little_Whorehouse_in_Texas SDC - Stage Directors & Choreographers https://sdcweb.org/ AEA - Actors Equity https://actorsequity.org/aboutequity SAG-AFTRA - Screen Actors Guild / American Federation of Television and Radio Artists https://www.sagaftra.org/ AGMA - American Guild of Musical Artists https://www.musicalartists.org/ Light Talk - Jeff Nellis https://lighttalk.libsyn.com/light-talk-episode-459-be-tenacious-and-nice-our-conversation-with-jeff-nellis Staś Kmieć (Direction/Choreography) has directed/choreographed multiple productions of Fiddler on the Roof throughout the world, including the new production in Yiddish that was a surprise hit on the New York theater scene (2019 Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Citation for “Best Musical Revival”). He honors the style, intent and tradition of Jerome Robbins, and mentor Sammy Dallas Bayes and has now has taken the mantle as the "Keeper of the Fiddler flame" from the Robbins Foundation. Other works include: the LA premiere of My Antonia (music by Stephen Schwartz), Finding Madame Curie (Theater Row-NYC), Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Ireland premiere), Me and My Girl tour, The Elephant Man, Don Giovanni, L’elisir d’amore, Die Fledermaus, Nutcracker, Films – The Comedian, Trust the Man. Artistic Director: Ballet Western-Reserve, Lubliniacy Polish Folk Ensemble, Sarabande Repertory Ensemble. As a performer, Staś appeared on Broadway with Lee Theodore’s American Dancemachine, and in Don Quixote with Rudolf Nureyev; and toured nationally in Fiddler on the Roof starring Theodore Bikel totaling 1,682 performances. He danced with Boston Ballet, Metropolitan Opera Ballet, and Stars of American Ballet, toured worldwide with Nureyev, and has appeared in acting and dancing roles on film and TV. Awards include: New York Musical Festival’s “Excellence in Choreography” –The Mapmaker’s Opera (now titled The Stranger from Seville), Poland’s highest cultural honor – the Oskar Kolberg Award. He is a member of: Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Actors Equity, Screen Actors Guild-AFTRA, American Guild of Musical Artists. Instagram Handles @ethansteimel @nicolevsteimel
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    1 hr and 29 mins
  • 196: Financial Education as a Theatrical LX Programmer with Brad Gray

    196: Financial Education as a Theatrical LX Programmer with Brad Gray
    Jan 22 2026
    Broadway lighting programmer Brad Gray discusses financial literacy and the importance of making that choice to prioritize your finances so that you aren’t forced to hustle until your dying day. Topics: ⭐️ Rich Dad, Poor Dad ⭐️ Programmer day rates ⭐️ Rental real estate investing ⭐️ ROTH IRAs and Retirement Accounts ⭐️ Starting them early and NOT dipping into them when purchasing a new home unless you really have to Video Version https://youtu.be/4uJpUwkBDY0 Brad Gray https://www.bradgray.lighting/ Rich Dad, Poor Dad https://bookshop.org/a/86693/9781612681139 (my affiliate link!) Bigger Pockets https://www.biggerpockets.com/podcasts/real-estate FHA Loan https://www.hud.gov/helping-americans/loans PMI https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-private-mortgage-insurance-en-122/ Isabella Byrd https://www.isabellabyrd.design/ Justin Townsend https://www.justintownsenddesign.com/ Aland Henderson https://www.linkedin.com/in/aland-henderson-914b669/ Trudy Durant https://tcdurant.com/home.aspx Accountants https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YG1sgP4LqJa6Rk5CBdnvlQ2ByEvzFNKSS6uI61QkMlY/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.pb5zrm8roqpz Brad grew up in Oklahoma, where his passion for theater began at a young age. By 7, he was performing in local musicals and plays. At 10, he was operating the sound console for his local church, and by 14, he was assisting with the electrical overhaul of the Bartlesville Community Center (BCC), a 1,700-seat proscenium theater. This project opened the door to more opportunities at the BCC, including national tour load-ins, show runs, and load-outs. It was there that Brad first explored lighting programming, honing his skills on numerous plays, musicals, concerts, ballets, and symphonies performed on the BCC stage. ​ Brad pursued his passion for theater at the University of Oklahoma, studying under the late Steven Draheim and earning a degree in Lighting Design. During his later years at OU, he interned at the prestigious Williamstown Theatre Festival (WTF) in Williamstown, MA, where he gained the skills and connections necessary to launch a career in programming in New York City. Brad continued to work at WTF for three more years, serving as the Master Electrician of the Nikos Stage and later as Production Electrician. Beyond shaping his career, Williamstown also introduced Brad to his wife, Mariah. ​ With over 20 years of experience as a lighting programmer, lighting director, and consultant, Brad has built an impressive career in theater, working on over 15 Broadway shows, including The Lion King, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Death Becomes Her and others, collaborating with industry leaders like Justin Townsend, Don Holder, and Kevin Adams. Brad is also a passionate educator, having guest lectured at NYU, Rutgers, Brooklyn College, Juilliard, the University of Oklahoma, Texas State University, and many other academic institutions, ranging from high school to collegiate education. His expertise and creative vision have taken him to stages and venues around the world, solidifying his reputation as a trusted professional in the industry. ​​ More recently, Brad has been consulting on installation projects and sales, helping schools and universities, museums, houses of worship, concert halls, and other venues bridge the gap between the overwhelming variety of equipment available and the trusted tools used by industry leaders. ​ Today, Brad resides in Randolph, NJ, with Mariah, their son Benjamin, and their golden retriever, Charlie. When he’s not working on Broadway or traveling internationally, Brad enjoys disc golf, hunting, tackling personal projects, investing in real estate, and diving into books on personal finance. Instagram Handles @bradgraylighting @ethansteimel @nicolevsteimel
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • 195: Gross Income ≠ Take-Home Pay with Susan Lee

    195: Gross Income ≠ Take-Home Pay with Susan Lee
    Jan 15 2026

    Tax expert Susan Lee discusses tax implications and best practices for freelancers.

    Topics:

    ⭐️ Cashflow

    ⭐️ Having a will

    ⭐️ Being your own bookkeeper

    ⭐️ A financial health checklist and a financial disaster kit

    Video Version

    https://youtu.be/uJQLmbiwCA0

    Freelance Taxation

    https://www.freelancetaxation.com/

    Pieter Bruegel The Elder

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieter_Bruegel_the_Elder

    The Beekeepers

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieter_Bruegel_the_Elder#/media/File:Pieter_Brueghel_the_Elder_-_The_Beekeepers_and_the_Birdnester,_c1568_-_Kupferstichkabinett_Berlin.jpg

    Kunsthistorisches Museum - Vienna

    https://www.khm.at/en

    The Albertina Museum - Vienna

    https://www.albertina.at/en/

    Bird by Bird

    https://bookshop.org/p/books/bird-by-bird-some-instructions-on-writing-and-life-anne-lamott/7937cf657650025e?ean=9780385480017&next=t&aid=86693&listref=artistic-finance-books

    Altadena

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eaton_Fire

    Abortion Bans by State

    https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/state-policies-abortion-bans#:~:text=shortly%20after%20birth.-,Highlights,bans%20based%20on%20gestational%20duration.

    Maternal Mortality

    https://thegepi.org/maternal-mortality-abortion-bans/

    Susan Lee has prepared taxes for freelancers and artists in New York City for over twenty years. She is a Certified Financial Planner Professional™ who created FreelancerTaxation.com with the intention to give freelancers and artists basic information that will allow them to take advantage of their self-employed status and to meet the challenges inherent in freelancing.

    Susan has written these articles for, as well as spoken to, freelancers and artist organizations including Columbia University, Bronx Museum of the Arts, Graphic Artists Guild, New York Foundation for the Arts, National Writers Union, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, Music Cares, The Drawing Center, and others.
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    1 hr and 4 mins
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