French Literature Reviews - 2026
B. Hamidi-Kim and S. Ruset, Troupes, compagnies, collectifs dans les arts vivants. Organisation du travail, processus de création et conjonctures
Theatre and Performance
Bibliographic reference: Bérénice Hamidi-Kim and Séverine Ruset, Troupes, compagnies, collectifs dans les arts vivants. Organisation du travail, processus de création et conjonctures, Montpellier, L'Entretemps, coll. « Les voies de l'acteur », 2018.
28€
EAN13: 9782355392337
Publisher's overview:
This book examines "troupes," "companies," "collectives," and similar structures, regardless of how these collective entities dedicated to performance production refer to themselves or are designated. More specifically, it explores the various ways they organize themselves to create works, while situating the analysis within the political, social, and cultural contexts that shape and give meaning to them.
At a time when calls for a complete overhaul of the performing arts economy are multiplying in France and elsewhere, the question of how artistic work is organized has become more urgent than ever. While some voices advocate for aligning with the values and formats of the cultural industries, others champion the ambition of "doing things differently" rather than conforming to the hegemonic norms of the capitalist economy—norms that are increasingly prevalent even in countries where culture relies on state subsidies. They advocate for the development of models rooted in the values of the social and solidarity economy. By focusing on companies, the neglected stepchildren of public funding schemes, this book highlights the fact that it is primarily within these entities that performing arts creation takes place. In doing so, it pays close attention to the power dynamics and ambiguities inherent in a professional world deeply marked by "co-opetition".
The study of collective structures in the performing arts involves examining how companies and troupes organize their work and creative processes within specific institutional frameworks. As questions regarding the organization of artistic labor gain urgency amidst contemporary economic debates, researchers and practitioners alike reflect on the structural conditions of production. Discussions surrounding cultural economics often contrast conventional market models with alternatives inspired by the social and solidarity economy, highlighting distinct approaches to funding, collaboration, and professional practice in the contemporary arts landscape.
Bérénice Hamidi-Kim and Séverine Ruset explore the organizational forms of performing arts collectives, focusing on the conditions under which works are created and the broader contexts shaping these structures. Readers interested in the organization of labor, institutional frameworks, and creative processes in the performing arts may find this volume relevant to their inquiries.