Free standard shipping on all orders
  • Visa
  • Master Card
  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay
  • JCB

Artist Autonomy and the Contemporary Creative Economy: Art, Market and Policy book cover

1st Edition

Artist Autonomy and the Contemporary Creative Economy Art, Market and Policy

Edited By Annick Schramme, Laura D'hoore Copyright 2027
158 Pages 7 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

This book examines one of the most persistent concepts in modern art and cultural theory: the proposition that art can operate independently from economic, political or social constraints. In an age defined by global interdependence, digital transformation, and shifting cultural policies, the notion of autonomy has acquired new urgency. This volume explores how artistic autonomy is negotiated... Read more

Introduction

Prof. Dr. Annick Schramme and Drs. Laura D’Hoore

1.  Regulating autonomy - A new approach to comparative cultural policy analysis

Bård Kleppe

2. Balancing art and policy. How theatre managers negotiate their artistic autonomy within a multilevel cultural policy setting

Louise Ejgod Hansen

3. Patron saint or patron Satan? Perceptions of autonomy in modern patronage interaction

Helleke van den Braber

4. Freedom of Artistic Expression under Pressure in Europe: From State Control to Self-Censorship

Sara Whyatt

5. Navigating Autonomy

Anyuta Wiazemsky Snauwaert

6. Artistic autonomy, does it really exist?

Lara Staal

7. An-Aesthetic Autonomy and the Need for New Foundations

Sebastian Olma

8. Artistic autonomy in a society in transition

Dirk De Wit

9. Concluding statement. The illusion of autonomy versus the pragmatics of self-determination. A statement.

Johan Pas

10. Concluding notes by the editors

Prof. Dr. Annick Schramme and Laura D’Hoore

Biography

Prof. Dr. Annick Schramme is a professor at the University of Antwerp (Faculty of Business and Economics) and program director of the Master in Cultural Management. In 2018, she launched an international Master in Fashion Management (AMS) and the executive program Leadership in Culture (LinC LL) for Flanders and the Netherlands, in collaboration with Utrecht University. Her research focuses on cultural policy, cultural entrepreneurship, governance, and sustainable business models. She is active as a policy advisor and evaluator at the European level, a member of the Flemish UNESCO Commission, and chair of the Strategic Advisory Council for Culture, Youth, Sport, and Media. In 2024, she was appointed holder of the UNESCO Chair in Cultural Entrepreneurship and Policy. In addition, she is actively involved in several Horizon projects, including Tracks4Crafts, as well as ECHOES (European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage) and Just Fashion (as coordinating organization). In 2026, she was awarded an FWO research project.

Laura D’hoore is enrolled as a PhD researcher at the University of Antwerp since 2026. She holds a Master’s degree in Art History from KU Leuven and a Master’s in Cultural Management from the University of Antwerp. Since 2021, she has been a researcher at the Competence Centre for Cultural Management and Cultural Policy (University of Antwerp), contributing to projects on public–private collaboration in the museum sector, museum governance, cultural philanthropy and the revaluation of crafts. Her work has been presented at international conferences, including the International Conference on Cultural Policy Research (2022), and the ACEI Conference (2025).

"Artistic autonomy, crucial for healthy liberal democracies, are currently under pressure from multiple sources. In this timely book, art world scholars and professionals reflect on artistic autonomy from their various professional angels. Together, they have created a fascinating account of artistic autonomy, not only at present but also historically." Håkon Larsen, Professor, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway

Add to Cart