Balancing art and production work : artists’ experiences and perspectives

Abstract

This thesis explores how performing artists experience the combination of art and production-related work, and how this shapes the sustainability of their work.

Contemporary artistic work is multi-dimensional and often combines creative, production, and management responsibilities, yet little research captures how this position is experienced from the artists’ own perspective. This is the case also in performing arts that is the main context of this study.

This study draws on qualitative interviews with performing artists in Finland and autoethnographic reflections, and is informed by theoretical perspectives on artistic labour, definitions of work, and artists’ wellbeing. It examines how artists experience the demands of their working life, with particular attention to which aspects of combining artistic and production work are supportive or burdensome.

The findings show that artistic and production work are often intertwined and experienced as both enabling and challenging. Structural conditions such as funding systems, fragmented work, and institutional support play an important role in shaping these experiences, alongside recognition and the broader valuation of artistic work.

By centering artists lived experiences, this thesis aims to understand and contribute to creating sustainable working conditions for artists. It emphasizes that sustaining an artistic practice requires addressing the structural and social conditions that allow sustainable working conditions for artists.