Overview
An entertainer is a person who is paid to perform in a show or at an event. If you’re an entertainer, you have to have a skill or talent that an audience will enjoy – like tap dancing, singing, puppeteer and making people laugh. Entertainers play to audiences of adults and children, depending on what their special skill is.
Activities
The most important thing is to have a skill or talent that an audience will enjoy.
There are different types of entertainers, and they perform to an audience such as:
- Juggling
- Magic
- Mime
- Gymnastics
- Storytelling
- Comedy and clowning
Organisation
You could work in a theatre, at a social club, in the community, on a cruise ship, in a hotel, a holiday camp or at a client’s home. Many entertainers across The Black Country are self-employed.
Workplaces
Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time and indoor some of the time and you may spend nights away from home.
Working Hours
The working hours would be irregular and variable and could be around 40 hours per week, evenings, weekends, and bank holidays. Many entertainers also work part time and shorter hours.
Salary
The average salary for an entertainer in the UK is around £14 per hour and would depend on your skills and where you are working.
Qualifications
You do not need formal qualifications, although you may find it useful to have trained in music, dance or acting, perhaps from taking a performing arts course or graded exams. Having a skill in what you want to perform is most important.