精东影业

What do you do for a living? 鈥業'm an actress.鈥� No, I mean, how do you earn a living? This is a question that people working as professionals in the performing arts in Ticino are often asked. Except for a few very famous artists, years of study and sacrifice are not enough to earn the status of recognised professionals with adequate salaries and fees. Of course, it's an unusual profession, but stereotypes are widespread throughout society, even among institutions. There is no box to tick on employment office forms for those whose profession is director or clown. 鈥楾his leads to a lack of official statistics, which prevents any reflection on measures to be taken,鈥� explains Veronica Provenzale, Director of the Accademia Teatro Dimitri. A first step towards changing things is to understand who the performing artists in Ticino are, where they work, how they work and how much they earn.
 

An innovative survey method

The Building a Character project, supported by Innosuisse, has mapped the working conditions of performing artists in Ticino. It was conducted by the Accademia Teatro Dimitri and two competence centres of the Department of Business, Health and Social Sciences: the Centre of Competence for Welfare, Work and Society and the Centre of Competence for Practical and Health Policy. To define the population of artists, the research team used the Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) method, which has already been used in epidemiology but is innovative in the arts. Starting with an initial group of six artists, they were asked to refer colleagues who had worked with them. This made it possible to 鈥渢rack down鈥� 125 professionals recognised as such by their peers. 
 

The lack of framework conditions

鈥嬧赌嬧赌嬧赌嬧赌嬧赌嬧赌婽he results of the survey speak volumes. From the peculiarities of the artistic forms that have emerged in response to the specific characteristics of the region to the working conditions in the performing arts in Ticino, with all the implications this has for social security and health. The study also offers useful insights into the transformation of the world of work in general, because 鈥�very often trends emerge first in the arts and then manifest themselves in other professional fields,鈥� says Danuscia Tschudi, senior researcher at the Centre for Work, Welfare and Society. One example is the downward pressure on wages and fees, which does not take into account the preparation and research required for a single hour of performance. This trend can also be seen in other freelance professions not related to the cultural or artistic fields.

The lack of recognition of artistic work is not only due to stereotypes, but also to structural factors. One of the main ones is the lack of spaces to rehearse and present performances, an issue that artists are taking action on. 鈥業f you don't have a space to rehearse, it's like not having a garage to fix your car. You can't practise your craft,鈥� observes an artist involved in the survey. However, something is happening: the cantonal guidelines for cultural policy 2024鈥�2027 provide for specific action on this front, based on a census of potentially available spaces in the municipalities.
 

Networks, territories and artistic forms in transformation

The language barrier to the north and competition to the south are obstacles to the dissemination of Ticino's artistic productions, but they also push artists to rethink their performances in creative ways. For example, by favouring forms of expression based on physical theatre, where the reduced use of words allows them to work beyond the Gotthard Pass. 鈥�We have noticed this ability to react with an open and constructive spirit: there is no resignation, but rather a willingness to face difficulties by finding new solutions,鈥� observes Danuscia Tschudi. She cites the work carried out by the 鈥淭icino is Burning鈥� movement, which, through a series of dedicated projects, has raised awareness of the performing arts in Ticino throughout the rest of Switzerland, winning the Swiss Theatre Award in 2022.

Veronica Provenzale adds: "In finally mapping the performing arts scene in Italian-speaking Switzerland, we have identified the existence of real artistic networks, which are mainly formed around training venues: an academy, a private school or a company. These networks are essential for accessing the world of work and developing one's artistic activity. Through the exchange of knowledge and experience, it is possible to obtain advice on how to participate in relevant festivals, access funding or find a rehearsal space thanks to the support of colleagues'.
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Data on income, between multiple jobs and multiple activities

The work of an artist is intermittent: a succession of contracts or assignments, even short ones, alternate with periods when there are no engagements. "The study highlights the multiple jobs present in the performing arts, i.e. the combination of several roles within the sector (actor, technician, director), which is essential for increasing job opportunities. In addition, many artists who are not famous and are defined in the literature as 鈥渙rdinary鈥� also have multiple jobs: a second job outside the cultural sector, for example in catering," emphasises Danuscia Tschudi.

The income data do not show any differences between the various artistic fields (dance, physical theatre, mime, etc.), but they do paint a picture of economic precariousness. Among the 103 artists who responded to the question on gross annual income, 34% earn up to 20,000 Swiss francs, 38% between 20,001 and 40,000 Swiss francs (see income chart). Considering that the median salary in Ticino in 2022 was around 63,000 Swiss francs gross per year, the majority of artists fall well below this threshold. There is also a gender gap: only 16% of men but as many as 43% of women have incomes below 20,000 Swiss francs.