Help from the Alliance? Opportunities and criticisms of the model to improve the status of Freelance artists in Finland
Suomeen esitetyn freelancetaiteilijoiden työasemaa parantavan mallin mahdollisuudet ja kritiikki
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17409/kpt.125389Abstract
The Alliance model is one proposed solution to improve the working conditions of Finnish cultural freelancers. In our article, we will cover how the model works and what kind of criticism it has received in the 33 reports that it got from representatives of the cultural sector, the government and trade unions. We look at how criticism relates to the circumstances of the art field and to the art professionals' own experiences. We base our understanding on previous Finnish research and as a method of analysis on empirical data we apply content analysis.
The proposed three-year pilot trial gained some support as well as the Alliance model in general. However, the views differed particularly in relation to the Alliance's employment job contract, content of the work and within the selection criteria for selecting employees for Alliance. As regarding equality and equal rights, the view was shared between representatives of the cultural sector (7/13) and the representatives of the government (7/16): the Alliance was not seen as equal or as enhancement of equality.
Solutions to the problems that have long existed in the cultural sphere are needed. There are no legal barriers to use the alliance model in Finland. Criticism was given specifically about equality and the lack of it is a genuine problem. A problem, which could be solved by following international models and experience. In order to determine the true potential of the model, it must first be boldly piloted.
