New Books Network Joanna Woronkowicz, "Artists at Work: Rethinking Policy for Artistic Careers" (Stanford UP, 2025)
Oct 23, 2025
Joanna Woronkowicz is an economist and cultural policy researcher, dedicated to understanding artistic careers. She discusses her transition from a professional acting background to researching the complexities of artists' career trajectories. Joanna defines 'artist' broadly, dives into demographics of the U.S. arts workforce, and highlights the impact of decentralized cultural policies. Additionally, she outlines her five principles for effective arts policy and explores future research on intrinsic motivation and AI's influence on art. A thought-provoking analysis of the contemporary arts landscape!
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From Performer To Researcher
- Joanna Woronkowicz recounts her career as a professional musical theater actor and how it led her to study artists' careers.
- Her puzzlement about unpredictable artistic careers motivated the book and her research path.
Practical Definition Of 'Artist'
- Woronkowicz defines 'artist' operationally as the 'working artist' using U.S. Census occupational categories.
- She argues this focused definition lets workforce policy analysis produce generalizable career insights.
Artists: Educated, Urban, Networked
- U.S. artists are highly educated, with ~65% holding a college degree and over 10% a graduate degree.
- Artists are majority white and tend to live in central cities, reflecting network and location effects.
