World art as an External Equaliser

Abstract

Using a Swedish performing arts organisation as a case study, we examine how the assumptions of creative freedom enable and legitimise the establishment of inequality regimes in imperceptible and nuanced ways, drawing on the concept of equality regimes (e.g. Acker, 2006). Our research shows that when the idea of creative freedom is interpreted without reflection, ethical difficulties arise that have a negative effect on the organization's aspirations of equality. When formal hierarchical structures are absent, the aesthetic ethics based on the idea of "art for the sake of art" may serve as a smokescreen for the consolidation of aesthetic power. This validates the existing unequal power structure between directors, performers, and producers. Aesthetic ethics of art have been framed as opposed to the social ideal of equality, suggesting that the former must be sacrificed in order to protect the latter. We contend that the current interpretive practises of "artistic freedom" in some cultural organisations lead to the development of inequality regimes in the artistic work processes, while adding little value of morality to the freedom of conveying artistic opinions and in accomplishing the social ideal of equality.