Cultural entrepreneurship in times of change and crisis: Self- employed Dutch artists during the COVID- 19 pandemic

Sara Malou Strandvad, Nathalie Schram, Erik Gustafsson

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

This chapter gives a detailed account of the lived realities of 11 cultural entrepreneurs in the Netherlands during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, it gives insights into the effects of crises on self-employed artists, a group that previous research has argued acts under already precarious working conditions. Through in-depth interviews, we analyse how aspects of precarity and skewed views on the valuation of artistic work played out as lockdowns and restrictions changed the market landscape overnight. Our study shows that the crisis imposed by the pandemic led to a situation where cultural entrepreneurs were pushed towards the brink of survival in the sense of being able to sustain their artistic practices. This was exacerbated by a lack of translating general valuation through appreciation to economic value as reflected in policy measures by authorities. This chapter thus contributes to research on cultural entrepreneurship from a sociological perspective by highlighting the importance of understanding value regimes as a means of explanation for precarious work conditions in the creative industries.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEconomic Sociology in Europe
Subtitle of host publicationRecent Trends and Developments
PublisherTaylor & Francis
Pages207-224
Number of pages18
ISBN (Electronic)9781000994131
ISBN (Print)9781032405346
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2023

Keywords

  • NLA

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