This report defines what constitutes gig work and provides an overview of the gig economy, in which many artists participate. Comparing the gig workforce’s size relative to the rest of the labor force, the policy brief found that 3 in 10 workers participated in gig work over the past month, and more than a third of the U.S. workforce freelances at least part time. The brief provides a useful benchmark for future research on gig workers and a baseline to see how the gig economy will change following the COVID-19 crisis.