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Reproduction of Neoliberal Enterprise in Community Arts Work in Wales: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis

Rey Shakirzhanov Orcid Logo

Work, Employment and Society Annual Conference 2025

Swansea University Author: Rey Shakirzhanov Orcid Logo

Abstract

Cultural work has been constructed by policymakers and academics as a key contributor to economicgrowth (Campbell, 2021; Belfiore, 2020; Luckman, 2018; Thestrup & Pokarier, 2018; Conor et al., 2015;Morgan & Wood, 2014; De Peuter, 2011; Banks, 2007; Freedman, 2007), whilst a romanticised imag...

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Published in: Work, Employment and Society Annual Conference 2025
Published: Manchester University 2025
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa70231
first_indexed 2025-08-26T13:20:52Z
last_indexed 2025-09-26T10:24:00Z
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fullrecord <?xml version="1.0"?><rfc1807><datestamp>2025-09-25T15:16:03.5959129</datestamp><bib-version>v2</bib-version><id>70231</id><entry>2025-08-26</entry><title>Reproduction of Neoliberal Enterprise in Community Arts Work in Wales: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis</title><swanseaauthors><author><sid>5b68381cfca7574916fd3341a878623d</sid><ORCID>0009-0005-9706-9163</ORCID><firstname>Rey</firstname><surname>Shakirzhanov</surname><name>Rey Shakirzhanov</name><active>true</active><ethesisStudent>false</ethesisStudent></author></swanseaauthors><date>2025-08-26</date><deptcode>CBAE</deptcode><abstract>Cultural work has been constructed by policymakers and academics as a key contributor to economicgrowth (Campbell, 2021; Belfiore, 2020; Luckman, 2018; Thestrup &amp; Pokarier, 2018; Conor et al., 2015;Morgan &amp; Wood, 2014; De Peuter, 2011; Banks, 2007; Freedman, 2007), whilst a romanticised imageof freelance artists has come to be represented more widely as a model for future work (McRobbie, 2016). Despite these celebratory visions, this work has been shown as being precarious, characterisedby a lack of secure working conditions, ongoing sense of uncertainty, lack of &#x2018;safety nets&#x2019;, with no certaincontinuity of career growth and prospects (Masquelier, 2019; Butler, 2010; Bourdieu, 1998). Within this context, cultural workers have been &#x201C;invoked as paradigmatic figures of 21st century capitalism&#x201D; (De Peuter, 2014, p. 264), taking on a subject position predicated upon a discourse of neoliberal enterprise (Read, 2009; Donzelot, 2008; Foucault, 2008; O&#x2019;Malley, 1996; Du Gay, 1994a, 1994b, 1996, 2004; Du Gay &amp; Salaman, 1992; Rose, 1992; Keat, 1991; Gordon, 1991). This position connotes a range of entrepreneurial and business-like conducts, such as being autonomous, responsible, competitive, risktaking, calculative, proactive, and seeking self-fulfilment through work. A great deal of attention hasbeen paid to studying the proliferation of entrepreneurial logics within this domain of work, both on policy level (Rosello &amp; Wright, 2010; Banks &amp; Hesmondhalgh, 2009; Banks, 2007), and in practice (see for example. Mackenzie &amp; McKinlay, 2020; Hoedemaekers, 2018; Blair, 2009).Yet, research into the cultural work of community arts has been generally scant. Unlike other culturalsectors that place artists at the centre of cultural production, &#x2018;community arts&#x2019; can be described as anon-commercialised area of work that &#x201C;enjoins both artists and local people within their variouscommunities to use appropriate art forms as a means of communication and expression &#x2026; adaptingthem to present day [community] needs and developing new forms&#x201D; (Kelly, 1984, p. 1). This paper shedslight on the reproduction of neoliberal logics of enterprise in community arts based on data collectedduring doctoral research in Wales. Using a Foucauldian Discourse Analysis approach (Willig, 2008a,2008b; Parker, 1992, Hollway, 1989) and ethnographic methodology, it details how community artsworkers construct their subject positions different from paradigmatic representations of work as adomain of enterprise. A key finding of this study is the proliferation of the discourse of &#x2018;caring about&#x2019;,acting as a resource for resisting individualised, money-oriented subject positions of enterprise, whilstalso legitimating acceptable versions of entrepreneurial behaviour. This paper contributes empiricallyto discursively understanding the nature of community arts work and the role of the ethics of care in it(Alacovska &amp; Bisonette, 2021). It also offers alternative theorisations of entrepreneurial work, rethinking the current dichotomous visions of the discourse of enterprise as a fait accompli in the construction of worker subjectivity (Foucault, 2008; Fournier &amp; Grey, 1999; Du Gay, 1994b, 1996; Du Gay &amp; Salaman, 1992).</abstract><type>Conference Paper/Proceeding/Abstract</type><journal>Work, Employment and Society Annual Conference 2025</journal><volume/><journalNumber/><paginationStart/><paginationEnd/><publisher/><placeOfPublication>Manchester University</placeOfPublication><isbnPrint/><isbnElectronic/><issnPrint/><issnElectronic/><keywords/><publishedDay>10</publishedDay><publishedMonth>9</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2025</publishedYear><publishedDate>2025-09-10</publishedDate><doi/><url/><notes/><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><department>Management School</department><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><DepartmentCode>CBAE</DepartmentCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><apcterm>Not Required</apcterm><funders>Swansea University</funders><projectreference>NA</projectreference><lastEdited>2025-09-25T15:16:03.5959129</lastEdited><Created>2025-08-26T14:15:35.0809387</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences</level><level id="2">School of Management - Business Management</level></path><authors><author><firstname>Rey</firstname><surname>Shakirzhanov</surname><orcid>0009-0005-9706-9163</orcid><order>1</order></author></authors><documents/><OutputDurs/></rfc1807>
spelling 2025-09-25T15:16:03.5959129 v2 70231 2025-08-26 Reproduction of Neoliberal Enterprise in Community Arts Work in Wales: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis 5b68381cfca7574916fd3341a878623d 0009-0005-9706-9163 Rey Shakirzhanov Rey Shakirzhanov true false 2025-08-26 CBAE Cultural work has been constructed by policymakers and academics as a key contributor to economicgrowth (Campbell, 2021; Belfiore, 2020; Luckman, 2018; Thestrup & Pokarier, 2018; Conor et al., 2015;Morgan & Wood, 2014; De Peuter, 2011; Banks, 2007; Freedman, 2007), whilst a romanticised imageof freelance artists has come to be represented more widely as a model for future work (McRobbie, 2016). Despite these celebratory visions, this work has been shown as being precarious, characterisedby a lack of secure working conditions, ongoing sense of uncertainty, lack of ‘safety nets’, with no certaincontinuity of career growth and prospects (Masquelier, 2019; Butler, 2010; Bourdieu, 1998). Within this context, cultural workers have been “invoked as paradigmatic figures of 21st century capitalism” (De Peuter, 2014, p. 264), taking on a subject position predicated upon a discourse of neoliberal enterprise (Read, 2009; Donzelot, 2008; Foucault, 2008; O’Malley, 1996; Du Gay, 1994a, 1994b, 1996, 2004; Du Gay & Salaman, 1992; Rose, 1992; Keat, 1991; Gordon, 1991). This position connotes a range of entrepreneurial and business-like conducts, such as being autonomous, responsible, competitive, risktaking, calculative, proactive, and seeking self-fulfilment through work. A great deal of attention hasbeen paid to studying the proliferation of entrepreneurial logics within this domain of work, both on policy level (Rosello & Wright, 2010; Banks & Hesmondhalgh, 2009; Banks, 2007), and in practice (see for example. Mackenzie & McKinlay, 2020; Hoedemaekers, 2018; Blair, 2009).Yet, research into the cultural work of community arts has been generally scant. Unlike other culturalsectors that place artists at the centre of cultural production, ‘community arts’ can be described as anon-commercialised area of work that “enjoins both artists and local people within their variouscommunities to use appropriate art forms as a means of communication and expression … adaptingthem to present day [community] needs and developing new forms” (Kelly, 1984, p. 1). This paper shedslight on the reproduction of neoliberal logics of enterprise in community arts based on data collectedduring doctoral research in Wales. Using a Foucauldian Discourse Analysis approach (Willig, 2008a,2008b; Parker, 1992, Hollway, 1989) and ethnographic methodology, it details how community artsworkers construct their subject positions different from paradigmatic representations of work as adomain of enterprise. A key finding of this study is the proliferation of the discourse of ‘caring about’,acting as a resource for resisting individualised, money-oriented subject positions of enterprise, whilstalso legitimating acceptable versions of entrepreneurial behaviour. This paper contributes empiricallyto discursively understanding the nature of community arts work and the role of the ethics of care in it(Alacovska & Bisonette, 2021). It also offers alternative theorisations of entrepreneurial work, rethinking the current dichotomous visions of the discourse of enterprise as a fait accompli in the construction of worker subjectivity (Foucault, 2008; Fournier & Grey, 1999; Du Gay, 1994b, 1996; Du Gay & Salaman, 1992). Conference Paper/Proceeding/Abstract Work, Employment and Society Annual Conference 2025 Manchester University 10 9 2025 2025-09-10 COLLEGE NANME Management School COLLEGE CODE CBAE Swansea University Not Required Swansea University NA 2025-09-25T15:16:03.5959129 2025-08-26T14:15:35.0809387 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Management - Business Management Rey Shakirzhanov 0009-0005-9706-9163 1
title Reproduction of Neoliberal Enterprise in Community Arts Work in Wales: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis
spellingShingle Reproduction of Neoliberal Enterprise in Community Arts Work in Wales: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis
Rey Shakirzhanov
title_short Reproduction of Neoliberal Enterprise in Community Arts Work in Wales: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis
title_full Reproduction of Neoliberal Enterprise in Community Arts Work in Wales: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis
title_fullStr Reproduction of Neoliberal Enterprise in Community Arts Work in Wales: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Reproduction of Neoliberal Enterprise in Community Arts Work in Wales: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis
title_sort Reproduction of Neoliberal Enterprise in Community Arts Work in Wales: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis
author_id_str_mv 5b68381cfca7574916fd3341a878623d
author_id_fullname_str_mv 5b68381cfca7574916fd3341a878623d_***_Rey Shakirzhanov
author Rey Shakirzhanov
author2 Rey Shakirzhanov
format Conference Paper/Proceeding/Abstract
container_title Work, Employment and Society Annual Conference 2025
publishDate 2025
institution Swansea University
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Management - Business Management{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Management - Business Management
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description Cultural work has been constructed by policymakers and academics as a key contributor to economicgrowth (Campbell, 2021; Belfiore, 2020; Luckman, 2018; Thestrup & Pokarier, 2018; Conor et al., 2015;Morgan & Wood, 2014; De Peuter, 2011; Banks, 2007; Freedman, 2007), whilst a romanticised imageof freelance artists has come to be represented more widely as a model for future work (McRobbie, 2016). Despite these celebratory visions, this work has been shown as being precarious, characterisedby a lack of secure working conditions, ongoing sense of uncertainty, lack of ‘safety nets’, with no certaincontinuity of career growth and prospects (Masquelier, 2019; Butler, 2010; Bourdieu, 1998). Within this context, cultural workers have been “invoked as paradigmatic figures of 21st century capitalism” (De Peuter, 2014, p. 264), taking on a subject position predicated upon a discourse of neoliberal enterprise (Read, 2009; Donzelot, 2008; Foucault, 2008; O’Malley, 1996; Du Gay, 1994a, 1994b, 1996, 2004; Du Gay & Salaman, 1992; Rose, 1992; Keat, 1991; Gordon, 1991). This position connotes a range of entrepreneurial and business-like conducts, such as being autonomous, responsible, competitive, risktaking, calculative, proactive, and seeking self-fulfilment through work. A great deal of attention hasbeen paid to studying the proliferation of entrepreneurial logics within this domain of work, both on policy level (Rosello & Wright, 2010; Banks & Hesmondhalgh, 2009; Banks, 2007), and in practice (see for example. Mackenzie & McKinlay, 2020; Hoedemaekers, 2018; Blair, 2009).Yet, research into the cultural work of community arts has been generally scant. Unlike other culturalsectors that place artists at the centre of cultural production, ‘community arts’ can be described as anon-commercialised area of work that “enjoins both artists and local people within their variouscommunities to use appropriate art forms as a means of communication and expression … adaptingthem to present day [community] needs and developing new forms” (Kelly, 1984, p. 1). This paper shedslight on the reproduction of neoliberal logics of enterprise in community arts based on data collectedduring doctoral research in Wales. Using a Foucauldian Discourse Analysis approach (Willig, 2008a,2008b; Parker, 1992, Hollway, 1989) and ethnographic methodology, it details how community artsworkers construct their subject positions different from paradigmatic representations of work as adomain of enterprise. A key finding of this study is the proliferation of the discourse of ‘caring about’,acting as a resource for resisting individualised, money-oriented subject positions of enterprise, whilstalso legitimating acceptable versions of entrepreneurial behaviour. This paper contributes empiricallyto discursively understanding the nature of community arts work and the role of the ethics of care in it(Alacovska & Bisonette, 2021). It also offers alternative theorisations of entrepreneurial work, rethinking the current dichotomous visions of the discourse of enterprise as a fait accompli in the construction of worker subjectivity (Foucault, 2008; Fournier & Grey, 1999; Du Gay, 1994b, 1996; Du Gay & Salaman, 1992).
published_date 2025-09-10T06:49:07Z
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