European inventory of
societal values of culture

Anderson - Refining creative labour

Anderson, B. (2019). Refining creative labour: Precarity and autonomy in cultural and craft industries. Labour / Le Travail, 84, 325–331

This text is a review essay inspired by Susan Luckman’s book Craft and the Creative Economy (Palgrave Macmillan, 2015) and George Morgan’s and Pariece Nelligan’s The Creativity Hoax: Precarious Work in the Gig Economy (London and New York: Anthem Press, 2018). It presents a digested analysis of the concept of ‘creative labour’ and its complexities within the context of the capitalist economy. It raises questions about how to define creative labour and distinguishes between artistic or aesthetic creativity and other forms of work.

The discussion explores the impact of scientific management and the division of mental and manual labour on the creative agency of workers. It also highlights the shift in the economy towards cognitive, immaterial, affective, and non-physical aspects of work, especially in knowledge and service economies. The concept of creativity is seen as essential in navigating the gig economy, challenging the perception that creativity is limited to managerial classes.

The need to refine conceptualisations of creative labour and its potential for alternative economic formations is emphasised. Likewise, the importance of craft and creative labour is highlighted, along with the challenges of precarity and the false promises of entrepreneurial activity. The author suggests that understanding the subjective experiences of creative work should contribute to envisioning and organizing solidarity and collective action in the face of atomization and entrepreneurialisation in the capitalist economy.