Working conditions in the cultural sector are “problematic,” according to UvA sociologist
Low salaries, a lot of overtime, and less autonomy than expected: working in the cultural sector is no cakewalk. UvA sociologist Petar Marčeta comes to that conclusion in a study he will present on May 10th. “A misconception that perpetuates the situation is the idea of the struggling artist, the artist who gives up everything for his life’s work.”
It’s best to pay an artist less. After all, they are doing work they enjoy. That’s one of the persistent assumptions that doesn’t advance the creative sector, labor sociologist Petar Marčeta discovered in a study titled “A closer look at generalizations about work in the cultural and creative sector.”
On May 10th, Marčeta will present the results at a conference together with a sociologist from the RUG. Marčeta spoke with architects and designers in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom for his dissertation.
What is the state of working conditions in the creative sector?
“Problematic. Salaries are lower than in other sectors, there are fewer permanent appointments, a lot of overtime, and people are often forced to work independently. Expectations of autonomy and creativity are often not met. The result is that in addition to being underpaid, the jobs are often not very interesting. This is a lose-lose situation. A misconception that perpetuates the situation is the idea of the ‘struggling artist,’ the artist who gives up everything for his life’s work. This is used as an excuse for even more exploitation. It was also striking how individualized the creative sector is. If you are not successful, it is assumed that it is your fault and you need to improve your skills, even though it also depends on the labor market.”Photo: Jelena Marčeta
Why are people in the cultural sector systematically paid less, anyway?
“That’s a complex question. Too little money goes to the creative industries, and that money is also distributed unequally. It has to do with the idea that people in the cultural sector don’t work there for the money. That is used as an excuse to pay them less. After all, they are doing something they enjoy. There are also prestigious organizations that ‘pay’ an intern with the fact that having worked for them looks good on their resume. In addition, budgets for creative self-employment are decreasing.”
Has the job market of the creative sector deteriorated in recent years?
“Yes, due to low income and the increase in the number of self-employed artists, a significant number of people are leaving the sector. External circumstances also contribute to uncertainty, such as inflation, the energy crisis, the corona pandemic, and the war in Ukraine... There is a lot of uncertainty about what the market will look like in the coming years.”
What role did the corona crisis play?
“A negative role, but exactly what the consequences are we don’t know yet. There was corona support for entrepreneurs in the Netherlands and to a lesser extent in the United Kingdom. The corona crisis particularly exposed vulnerabilities that forced people to think about things like pensions, insurance, and vacations. It was a wake-up call that in the event of a crisis, the cultural sector is hit first.”
In 2011, €200 million was cut from the cultural sector by the cabinet of Prime Minister Rutte. There is still a government under Rutte. What impact does that have on cultural policy?
“The 2011 cuts are still fresh in many people’s minds and a reminder of how vulnerable the cultural sector is. So I am not too optimistic about the Rutte government. Fortunately, much can already be done at a sector level.”
Such as?
“The sector should offer more permanent contracts; that should become the norm. And self-employed people must earn more. For that, the budgets companies make available for work in the cultural sector must increase. In addition, the education system must better prepare students for the job market. Most architecture schools prepare their students for the most creative part of their jobs - designing buildings - while most of them will never get those jobs. Training must also prepare students for the life of an independent contractor. And industries need more and better collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) and unions.”
Why does the creative industry unionize less than other sectors?
“That’s partly because of the individualization I mentioned earlier. People who work in the creative industry are also not always in favor of the idea of a union, even though a union meets their needs, such as drafting a collective bargaining agreement. The union in the creative industries needs rebranding.”
What do you hope to achieve at the conference?
“The conference is meant precisely for people who work in the cultural sector including stakeholders, policymakers, and unions. I hope to engage in discussions about practical regulatory solutions. Not all problems will be solvable, but we want to show that some things can be done better.”
