Passion, Precarity and Inequality? Working Conditions of Urban Dancers in Colombia

Cultural and Creative Industries is a growing sector that has been characterised to offer pre-carious working conditions. Nevertheless, as cultural work operates under the complex di-lemma of passion and precarity, there is no clear understanding of how can social policy effectively support the increasing number of workers to overcome these circumstances. Therefore, any social policy that aims to provide protection needs to question how labour precarity is interpreted and managed, and what are the specific demands of the workers. By using a life history research and intersectional sensitivity, I analysed the working con-ditions of urban dancers in Bogotá from their subjective perspective. Seven participants of a different class, age, race and gender were interviewed using online means, and a digital eth-nography exploration of their social networks (Instagram, YouTube and Facebook) was con-ducted. With this research, I will argue that it is necessary to problematize the negative conno-tation of labour precarity because dancers experience their work circumstances according to their positionalities and context. The interconnection of different identity markers influences their perception of precarity and the strategies they used to manage it. Moreover, this diver-sity of experiences has revealed an enrooted problem of cultural work inequality. Regarding their demands, social policy should acknowledge their double facet of artist and worker when listening to their need. This is a process that includes addressing issues both for redistribution and recognition.