For Nykolaes, the business side of music starts with the realisation that one income stream is never enough. He combines a steady job at the Schaerbeek music academy with live shows, streaming and CD sales, collaborations with galleries, and reselling self‑repaired instruments. Rather than dreaming of making a living as a full‑time musician, he deliberately builds a mix where rent and basic needs are covered by teaching and (soon) an artist grant, so that fees, merch and tours offer freedom rather than survival pressure. Through his friend’s label, Toverberg, and coaching from STROOM, he learns to leverage funding, invoice correctly, and manage rights, without letting financial logic dictate his experimental practice. We presented his story to Antonio Cornelis, a business consultant in the artistic and creative sector, for additional insights.
How did Nykolaes come about?
I moved to Brussels to study film at LUCA and ended up doing mostly sound design, both for other people’s films and my own sound‑driven work. As a teenager, I was already making pop and folk songs on my computer, half karaoke, half satire, and I realised how much fun it was to learn that ‘pop language’.
Later, I did a master's in media art because there was a music studio. The idea was to make an album as a side project alongside installations and films, not to become a musician. I made that first record with Maurice (Daniël Paul), who is classically trained on guitar, and from there it went fast. About four years ago, I started writing lots of songs and learning to play them, and because that project found a home in Brussels, I sort of slid into being a musician without ever having a strict plan.
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How does a working week look for you today?
Through a friend, I ended up working at the Schaerbeek Music Academy to pay the rent. Now my week is pretty structured: on Monday I do administration at the academy; Tuesday I keep free to make music at home or in the shared studio; Wednesday morning is administration again; Wednesday afternoon is free; and on Thursday I teach tailor‑made music for children with disabilities. In total, I work about 18 hours a week at the academy and try to fill the rest with music, working on installations or drawing, while keeping weekends free unless there are shows.
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What sources of income make the project possible?
The most stable pillar is my job at the academy, combined with live show fees and merch sales. My visual art doesn’t generate structural income at the moment. With music, there is money from sales and streaming. The first album is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp, and most of the income actually came from Spotify because the record hit the algorithm and landed in many playlists, even though it’s the platform that pays the least.
I find the prospect of needing to play shows to survive quite scary; I want concerts and side incomes to create freedom, not pressure
On top of that, I have what I like to call ‘nice extras.’ I buy old instruments, cassettes and reel-to-reels, repair or even build things, sometimes keeping them for my own work and sometimes selling them on. Over the past two years, I’ve also been doing sound for performance artist Agatha Wara in gallery contexts. It’s not a steady monthly income, but it does bring in some income and opens up new contexts for my work.
Financially, I think in terms of building a steady base rather than a target number. Ideally, an artist grant plus teaching covers rent and basic needs, and anything from gigs, merch or extra assignments is extra money. I find the prospect of needing to play shows to survive quite scary; I want concerts and side incomes to create freedom, not pressure.
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How do you spend your money?
The most consistent expense is my studio space in an anti‑squat building, though it’s more like a rehearsal room than a professional studio, not fully soundproof, and without super-expensive microphones. Most of the recording I do happens at home.
Beyond that, I spend a lot on old instruments and gear. Repairing and tinkering is a passion, a materials research project, and a small income source all at once. Some pieces stay in my ecosystem for music or installations, others I sell.
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How does your label Toverberg help you?
Toverberg effectively grew alongside Nykolaes: My friends Maurice and Florian wanted a way to release the music themselves, and their collective had been wanting to start a label. Today, Toverberg applies for project funding that covers high costs such as mastering, production, merchandising, and release show budgets, making it much easier than applying for each individually.
Most music‑related grants run through the label, while I write individual applications for my visual art. I’m now working on an artist grant so that teaching plus correctly invoiced shows can bridge periods of recording with fewer gigs. STROOM has also offered useful coaching and info sessions on invoicing, rights, artistic entrepreneurship, and opportunities to meet fellow local artists in a similar context.
Financially, I think in terms of building a steady base rather than a target number
Are there any things you wish you had known sooner?
For a while, I let fees be paid less officially, because it seemed more livable in the short term, especially when I was unemployed. Only when I applied for an artist allowance did I realise I had very little to show, as nothing had been invoiced.
Through info sessions from Toverberg, STROOM and organisations like Kunstwerkt, I learnt why it pays to work officially. You might ‘lose’ money in the short term, but you build up rights and a track record that matters for grants, benefits and negotiations. We chose not to register with SABAM because we see the project as part of a folk tradition and find it important that people can cover and share the songs. We prefer to earn from physical media and live performances rather than chasing every royalty.
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Antonio: While the AKV doesn’t provide a significant or secure income, it offers a small bonus in the early stages of a career, meaning around 80 euros per day, up to 30 days per year. The biggest advantage is that you don’t need an artist certificate, which other commissions often require. It’s limited income-wise, but it’s a helpful start. (More info)
When you grow more professional, there are several other ways to secure income as a musician:
- Social bureau for artists (SBK in Dutch): Compare the net salaries you receive on your bank account between the different bureaus, as fees differ! Amplo is well-known, but others like Interimpro or De Crew may be cheaper. (Full list of SBKs here)
- 1bis or project contracts: 1bis contracts remove the traditional employer-employee hierarchy, while you still maintain worker rights (pension, insurance), but lose certain benefits, like an end-of-year bonus. Project contracts are temporary and last only for the duration of the agreed artistic project.
- Employment through a non-profit: You can set up a small organisation with friends or relatives. Once your income reaches a certain level, this can be more advantageous. For example, via my company, RoAn Art Consulting, a gross salary might be around 8,000 euros/year, excluding administrative costs like payroll statements and Dimona registrations. For this, your non-profit will need to work with a payroll office (sociaal secretariaat in Dutch).
- Independent art worker: This gives full control over your creative pace, career, and income, but it also comes with financial risks. Combining the art worker certificate with independent work on the side has income limits; exceeding them can affect eligibility for benefits after three years. More info
From 2024 onwards, Belgian artists can apply for an art worker certificate and allowance in two ways:
- Starter certificate: For bachelor’s or master’s arts graduates. Requires a five-year business plan, a three-year financial plan, and proof of five artistic assignments worth at least 500 euros gross. No strict deadline; you can apply immediately after graduation or later.
- Art worker certificate plus: No degree required, but you must prove prior work as an artist and a minimum gross income of 5,418 euros, including copyright or freelance work. A commission evaluates your portfolio to confirm professional status.
With either certificate, you can apply for a monthly allowance if you can prove 156 days of work over the last 24 months. The amount varies depending on your situation, e.g., living alone or with children. Extensions are possible after three years with proof of 78 days of work.
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A small practical habit that helps you?
For shows, I always print invoices and practical info and keep them in a folder. It started as a personal archive of where I’d played, but it turned out to be a very useful overview. In general, I try to track my income so I know what is structural and what is a random peak, and I write everything down somewhere, even if a gig was paid in cash or an invoice went in late. That overview is crucial later for funding, benefits, or simply understanding your own practice.
For me, financial stability is directly linked to artistic freedom
How will you be able to keep making music?
For me, financial stability is directly linked to artistic freedom. I want rent and basic bills to be covered without every gig feeling like an exam. Side jobs or an allowance can create a lot of mental space to keep working freely, and I think we should let go of any shame attached to that.
My friend Emiel once summed it up nicely: ‘Becoming an artist means never working again and working every day.’ That double feeling of freedom and constant commitment pretty much describes my reality.
<div class="editorial-banner"> <div class=“editorial-credits”>@nykolaes<br><br>roanartconsult.be<br>personal business advice in the creative sector</div></div>
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