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Artistic and Creative Labour. Network for the Study of Practices of Work and Organisation within the Cultural and Creative Industries

Subject Area Sociological Theory
Term from 2016 to 2022
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 324318513
 
Final Report Year 2023

Final Report Abstract

The Scientific Network "Künstlerisch-kreative Erwerbsarbeit. Netzwerk zur Untersuchung der Arbeits- und Organisationspraxis in der Kultur- und Kreativwirtschaft" aimed at a better understanding of work and organizational practices in the cultural and creative industries. The network pursued three guiding research impulses: First, it aimed to connect current research projects in the field of investigation and to identify gaps in empirical knowledge. Second, a comparative and empirically saturated theory of artistic-creative work was to be developed. Thirdly, the aim was to work out the contours of specifically German perspectives on the field of artisticcreative work. These efforts were to result in the organization of an international conference and a book publication. These goals were mostly achieved, although there were several changes in the process. Following main deviations from the original project plan have to be stated: First, the focus of the comparison was shifted from looking comparatively at different cases of creative work to looking at one case of creative work from different angles. This shift can be identified as a central result of the network work. As the activities of the network and the discussion with the experts progressed, it became increasingly clear that neither a general theory of creative work (beyond structural aspects) could be achieved, nor could the diversity of the field of creative work be sufficiently represented. On the other hand, the focus on one case allowed the network to keep its polyphony and to continue on the basis of an object of analysis to be explored together. Second, there was a high fluctuation in the membership structure. The reasons for this are numerous. A particular challenge was posed by the Corona period, during which young scientists were often exposed to the burden of care work. Four points can be noted as results of the project work: Firstly, networking on the topic was made possible. In the course of the project funding, the network became an established part of the discussion about a sociological perspective on the cultural and creative industries, with spillover effects beyond the academic field. Secondly, there are implicit and explicit network effects. The network was not only a place of content exchange, but also of collegial support, advice, and exchange on career-relevant topics (appointments, calls for proposals, etc.) as well as personal support in times of crisis such as the Corona pandemic. Thirdly, the further development of the content of the topic should be mentioned. Numerous dimensions of creative work were identified during the discussions in the network and evaluated in terms of their influence on the realities of work in the creative industries. These include the aesthetic dimension of work practice, the inherent dimensions of critique, and material and technological aspects as central features. Finally, the work on a collaborative monograph on hackathons should be emphasized as a result. The network members decided to write a book together. The goal of the exploration of hackathons as a form of creative work is to understand the social worlds of hackathons ethnographically and multi-perspectival. In doing so, the polyphony of the network is also adopted in the structure of the book. Individual chapters will be written in tandems or small groups of three people. The book project, neither a classic monograph nor an anthology, unites diverse research perspectives on hackathons in a collaborative way.

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