Artists at Work - (Culture and Economic Life) by Joanna Woronkowicz (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Why do people choose to pursue a career in the arts? And who doesn't get to? Written with clarity, and grounded in data, Artists at Work offers an eye-opening look at what it truly means to build a career as an artist today. Joanna Woronkowicz examines how artists navigate unique challenges in America's creative economy, from unpredictable job markets to evolving copyright laws and public funding constraints. Woronkowicz exposes current public policy as patchwork, and susceptible to changes in the political climate. Such fragile infrastructure only exacerbates race- and class- based inequalities that exist in the art world. Remaking this system requires a deeper understanding of creative labor. By shining a light on today's artists - who they are, how they train, and what they do - Woronkowicz emphasizes, both, that artists are not unlike other workers, and also that policies have not been designed with their unique employment behaviors in mind. In spite of the very real challenges facing artists, there is good reason to be optimistic. Concluding with several targeted recommendations for reforms, this book is a timely and critical guide for anyone invested in supporting the future of the arts, and artists, in America"--

Book Synopsis

Why is it so hard for artists to have stable careers? Written with clarity and grounded in data, Artists at Work offers an eye-opening look at what it truly means to build a career as an artist today. Joanna Woronkowicz examines how artists navigate unique challenges in America's creative economy, from unpredictable job markets to evolving copyright laws and public funding constraints.

Woronkowicz exposes current public policy for artists as patchwork and susceptible to changes in the political climate. Such fragile infrastructure limits artists' ability to build sustainable careers. Remaking this system requires a deeper understanding of creative labor. By shining a light on today's artists-who they are, how they train, and what they do-Woronkowicz emphasizes both that artists are not unlike other workers, and also that policies have not been designed with their unique employment behaviors in mind. This book is a timely and critical guide for anyone invested in supporting the future of the arts, and artists, in America.

Review Quotes

"Joanna Woronkowicz conveys a deep understanding of the challenges, choices, and complex professional demands that frame artistic careers. Concise and direct, Artists at Work is an important handbook for policymakers; an eye-opening look at American artists that will intrigue every citizen interested in the vitality of our nation's creative life." --Bill Ivey, Former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts

"Joanna Woronkowicz's Artists at Work argues that artists ought to be thought of not as 'starving' or 'privileged', to use her words, but rather as important workers in our economy . She offers clear-eyed approaches to design policy that will most benefit artists, and in turn, our society and economy." --Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, Author of The Warhol Economy and The Sum of Small Things

"This concise volume deftly and expertly obliterates the destructive fetishization of the artist as penurious magician, reminding us what all artists really are: people who work. Far from draining vitality from the arts, Woronkowicz's analysis sheds light on how a cultural and social policy better attuned to the actual working conditions of artists can enable those who pursue artistic careers to thrive. And when artists thrive, we all thrive." --Sam Gill, Doris Duke Foundation

About the Author

Joanna Woronkowicz is Associate Professor in the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and Co-Founder and Faculty Director of the Center for Cultural Affairs at Indiana University. She is the author of Building Better Arts Facilities (2014).