Why is it so hard for artists to have stable careers? Written with clarity and grounded in data, Artists at Work offers an eye-opening look at what it truly means to build a career as an artist today. Joanna Woronkowicz examines how artists navigate unique challenges in America's creative economy, from unpredictable job markets to evolving copyright laws and public funding constraints.

Woronkowicz exposes current public policy for artists as patchwork and susceptible to changes in the political climate. Such fragile infrastructure limits artists' ability to build sustainable careers. Remaking this system requires a deeper understanding of creative labor. By shining a light on today's artists-who they are, how they train, and what they do-Woronkowicz emphasizes both that artists are not unlike other workers, and also that policies have not been designed with their unique employment behaviors in mind. This book is a timely and critical guide for anyone invested in supporting the future of the arts, and artists, in America.