In the Greek context, as in other countries, creative sectors are among the most affected by the pandemic crisis, bringing to the surface structural problems that these sectors have long been facing. In Southern European countries such as Greece, which have experienced almost a decade of the aftermath of the financial crisis and austerity policies, creative workers seem to be living in a state of continuous crisis. Drawing from the first results of the research program “Labour Precarity and Social Cohesion: The Case of the Cultural & Creative Industries” (carried out within the framework of National Recovery and Resilience Plan ‘Greece 2.0’ funded by the European Union-NextGenerationEU and implemented by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation), the proposed paper focuses on the core CCI of Performing Arts and Entertainment, an industry that encompasses a complete and multifaceted ecosystem of cultural and creative professions. Based on the findings from qualitative research through an array of research methods (ethnography, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews) and the analysis of institutional changes/reforms (desk research) during the multi-crises especially on employees/workers’ collective protection. the paper will examine:

a) the ways employment in the Performing Arts and Entertainment sectors and professions are (re)shaped within “crisis-scapes” and the main parameters affecting employment and working conditions whilst also accelerating precarisation

b) the strategies of individual workers and collective organisations (unions, emerging grassroots practices etc.) to resist/respond to the predicaments of the Performing Arts and Entertainment sectors and to tackle precarity and exclusion  

c) the obstacles and challenges of the institutional attempts to (re) regulate the highly unregulated labour markets of the Performing Arts and Entertainment sectors

Emphasis is given on core professions within the Performing Arts and Entertainment sectors, such as actors/actresses, musicians, and dancers. More information on the conference here.