Pathways Into Creative Working Lives

This book presents research on pathways into creative work. The promise of ‘doing what you love’ continues to attract new entrants to the cultural and creative industries. Is that promise betrayed by the realities of pathways into creative work, or does a creative identification offer new personal and professional possibilities in the precarious contexts of contemporary work and employment? Two decades into the 21^st century, aspiring creative workers undertake training and higher education courses in increasing numbers. Some attempt to convert personal enthusiasms and amateur activities into income-earning careers. To manage the uncertainties of self-employment, workers may utilise skills developed in other occupations, even developing timely new forms of collective organisation. The collection explores the experience of creative career entrants in numerous national contexts, including Australia, Belgium, China, Ireland, Italy, Finland, the Netherlands, Russia, the US andthe UK. Chapters investigate the transitions of new workers and the obstacles they encounter on creative pathways.

Chapters 1, 12 and 15 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Stephanie Taylor is Professor of Social Psychology at The Open University, UK. She is co-author of Contemporary Identities of Creativity and Creative Work (2012) and co-editor of The New Normal of Working Lives (2018).

Susan Luckman is Professor of Cultural and Creative Industries at the University of South Australia. She is author of Craft and the Creative Economy (2015) and co-editor of The New Normal of Working Lives (2018).