Artists Incorporated

Taking an exhaustive look at the changing relationship between artists and business organisations, this book demonstrates how artists are no longer confined to the art market.

Recent developments in art, artistic work, and management have fostered an unprecedented convergence between artists and companies. Artistic interventions are increasingly integrated into organisational settings. This book examines this evolution and seeks to demonstrate beyond common misconceptions what these initiatives can concretely bring to companies: strengthening brand image, teaching creative work methods, and restoring a sense of pride through the rediscovery of aesthetics in everyday routines. Readers will first encounter a discussion of the sociology of art and management, providing a framework to explain the origins of artistic interventions in organisations. The text explores how practitioners and researchers have sought to understand these initiatives before delving into their real contributions, as well as the myths surrounding them. Grounded in the observation of nearly a dozen projects and approximately 80 interviews, this book offers a comprehensive perspective, enriched by multiple case studies that illustrate its arguments.

This book is designed for researchers, students, practitioners and those with an interest in the creative and cultural industries. It offers practical examples and field insights to cut through the myths and reveal the genuine value of collaborations between artists and companies.

Thomas Blonski is an Assistant Professor at ICN Business School, Université de Lorraine, CEREFIGE. His research on cultural and creative industries focuses on the careers of artists and creative profiles, especially through artistic interventions in organisations. Drawing on both art history and sociology of art, he challenges the prevailing biases in narratives about art and artists, shifting the focus toward a Beckerian framework: art is less about divine inspiration and more about a deliberate, rule-bound work process, whose specificities he meticulously explores.