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What is it like to work in the cultural and creative sectors in Europe today? And what does it take to make such careers more sustainable? These are the questions explored in the book , edited by Bård Kleppe (Telemark Research Institute, Norway) Jaka Primorac (Institute for Development and International Relations, Croatia), Miikka Pyykkönen (University of Jyväskylä, Finland), and the Centre's David Wright - and with chapters from Heidi Ashton and Chris Bilton.

Across the chapters, a clear pattern emerges: artistic and creative work differs from many other professions. It is characterized by unstable incomes, project-based work, and the need to combine multiple jobs. At the same time, many are driven by strong motivation and a sense of vocation.

A key insight is that creative work is difficult to measure and define. Official statistics often present a simplified picture, where very different types of jobs are grouped together. As a result, the creative economy may appear to generate more employment and value than it actually does. At the same time, important aspects of the work remain invisible—such as the time artists spend training, experimenting, and failing, or the unpaid labour involved in networking, administration, and applying for funding. This creates a paradox: many are willing to accept insecure working conditions and low incomes because the work is meaningful. Yet this also makes artists and creative workers vulnerable to exploitation and economic insecurity.

At the same time, the book shows that these challenges can be addressed—and even avoided. Several European countries, including Norway, have developed policies that take into account how creative work actually functions. Examples include artist grants, basic income schemes, assistant schemes, and various forms of long-term project funding. Such measures are based on the recognition that creative work has distinctive characteristics that require more flexible forms of support.

The conclusion is twofold: working conditions in the creative sectors remain challenging in many parts of Europe. But they can be improved. With the right policy measures, stronger collective organization, and a deeper understanding of what creative work actually entails, it is possible to create more sustainable conditions for those who produce art and culture.