The Artist-entrepreneur Acting as a Gatekeeper in the Realm of Art

The present paper analyses the role of artists-entrepreneurs in the contemporary society. The investigation, focused on studying these actors in their artistic and entrepreneurial activities and processes, reveals another emerging role: these professionals act as protectors of the integrity of the Art when it enters in relation with the logics of the business world. The research is conducted interviewing and observing a group of artists living the experience of founding their own cultural enterprises in the specific context of performing arts.