How do artist-entrepreneurs exercise their creative freedom with respect to the mechanisms governing them? The case of the performing arts[Comment les artistes entrepreneurs exercent-ils leur liberté de décision face aux mécanismes qui les gouvernent ? Le cas de l’art vivant]

This article analyses the resources artist-entrepreneurs have to hand to protect their creative freedom and so lessen their dependence with respect to the mechanisms that govern them. It relies on a study of multiple cases in the performing arts. The results of a manual content analysis of semi-directed interviews with five theatrical companies in Bourgogne Franche-Comté (France) highlight the importance of networks and informal mechanisms, like trust and reputation, as well as the building of long-term relationships with stakeholders. Formal governance mechanisms, such as boards of directors, play very variable roles.