Why are artistic labor markets so puzzling? This review explores the unique dynamics of these markets, where employment and unemployment rise simultaneously, and uncertainty acts as both a condition of innovation and a lure. It highlights the importance of learning by doing, but recognizes the limitations of initial training as a filtering device. The artistic occupations are high but has to be balanced against the risk of failure. Examining research from sociologists, economists, historians, and geographers, the chapter focuses on the status of employment and career patterns, the rationales of occupational choice, occupational risk diversification, and the oversupply of artists. Risk has to be managed, mainly through flexibility and cost reducing means at the organizational level and through multiple job holding at the individual level. Job rationing and an excess supply of artists seem to be structural traits associated with the emergence and the expansion of a free market organization of the arts. This research provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities facing artists in today's labor market. By analyzing the factors that shape artistic careers, the review offers insights for policymakers and artists alike.
Published in the Annual Review of Sociology, this article directly aligns with the journal's mission to provide comprehensive overviews of significant developments in the field of sociology. By examining the complexities of artistic labor markets and careers, the review contributes to a deeper understanding of work, occupations, and social inequality, all central themes in sociological research.