Reform of the status of artist: raising the curtain on the Commission du travail des arts and its behind the scenes

There is really something of solidarity that is being born. But…

Another innovation of the reform: the certificate of work in the arts can be issued for artistic activities as well as for technical-artistic and artistic support activities. Beyond the artists, it is all these qualified people such as technicians who work in the shadow of an artistic creation who can submit a request for allocation of artistic work.

Director, scenographer, writer and visual artist, Stéphane Arcas is also a member of this new commission. If he approves of this inclusive aspect, he expresses some concerns: “One of the advantages of this reform is that we no longer talk about artists but about arts workers. This includes all technical teams or professions supporting artistic creation. Like the people who take care of the production, the broadcasting of shows, etc. This encompasses the entire show family. Because without these jobs, there are no shows. Behind those who are on stage, for example, there is an entire ecosystem with a multitude of know-how. There, we say to ourselves that there is really something of solidarity that is being born.“

However, Stéphane Arcas highlights a concern: “But it turns out that, by being a member of the Commission, we again receive questions like: does this work have an influence on the form of the work? So we fear returning to this question of what is an artist, or how to define art. There are many things in this reform which are done to encourage certain people to take on independent status. We do not intend to let this happen because there are a diversity of professions, such as that of electrician, which serve an artistic work with a certain sensitivity.“