How Claiming Works

The Basics

When a commissioner posts a new commission, it appears as "open" on your dashboard. You claim it by clicking the Claim button, at which point it's assigned to you and no other writer can take it. Artlance uses a set of controls to ensure commissions are distributed fairly — so that no single writer monopolizes the available work, and so that local writers get the first opportunity to cover what's happening in their own region.

These controls adjust automatically based on how many writers and commissions are active at any given time. When there's more work available, the system loosens. When things are tight, it tightens.

Active Commission Cap

You can hold a limited number of active commissions at once. An "active" commission is anything you've claimed that hasn't yet been paid. This includes pieces you're still writing, pieces under editorial review, and pieces awaiting publication verification.

The number of slots available to you depends on the overall ratio of open commissions to active writers. When there are many open commissions, you will be able to hold more than one commission at a time. When supply is tight, the system ensures every writer gets a fair shot at claiming.

Cooldown Period

After you claim a commission, there's a waiting period before you can claim another. This "cooldown" period prevents rapid-fire claiming and gives other writers a chance to browse and claim commissions.

The cooldown length adjusts with market conditions. When there are many more commissions than writers, it's as little as one hour. When the ratio is tight, it can extend up to seven days. If you try to claim before the cooldown period has ended, the system will tell you exactly when you're eligible to claim again.

Local Priority Window

When a new commission is posted, writers whose registered regions match the commission's region can claim it immediately. Writers outside the region must wait 48 hours before the commission becomes available to them. This gives local writers — who can most easily attend the exhibition or event — the first opportunity.

If you're planning a trip to another region and want to pick up work there, you absolutely can. Browse that region's commissions and you'll see which ones have cleared the priority window. Commissions that local writers haven't claimed within 48 hours we be available to you to claim.

Claiming Outside Your Region

You can claim commissions in any region, not just your own. When you claim outside your registered regions, you'll be asked to confirm that you can travel to that region and meet the Standards of Engagement in person.

Out-of-region claims also carry a slightly longer cooldown (1.5× the normal period). This is designed to prevent a single writer from sweeping through another region's available work too quickly, while still making it practical to pick up two or three commissions when you're planning a trip.

A typical trip scenario: you're traveling to another city for a week and want to line up some commissions. You browse the region, claim one that's past the 48-hour local window, wait out the cooldown, then claim another. Over a few days you can build a reasonable slate of work for your visit, provided there are enough open commissions in that region.

Commissioner Diversity

After completing a commission from a particular commissioner, the system asks you to take a commission from a different commissioner before returning to the same one. This ensures a healthy rotation of writer–commissioner pairings and prevents any single institutional relationship from dominating a writer's portfolio.

This control looks at your most recent commission only. It's not a ban on working with the same commissioner. In practice, in an active market, you'll naturally rotate between commissioners as you browse and claim work.

Remote-Eligible Commissions

Some commissions are marked as "remote-eligible," meaning they can be completed without traveling to the commission's region. These typically cover digital work, web experiences, games, or other subjects that don't require a writer to attend in person.

When you claim a remote-eligible commission, several of the controls described above do not apply: there is no 48-hour local priority window, no region confirmation, and no out-of-region cooldown multiplier. Remote-eligible commissions are visible to all writers regardless of registered region.

The active commission cap, base cooldown period, and commissioner diversity rule still apply. Remote commissions also go through the same editorial review as any other commission.

At a Glance