ABSTRACT
This study aims to analyze the socioeconomic status of artists in terms of social rights. The main features of an artist’s working life are sporadic, atypical and irregular working patterns; poor and unpredictable income levels based on salaries, sales revenue, royalties and resale rights; late career progress after a long educational period; risky career success dependant upon public acceptance; an insufficient income resulting from combining artistic work with another job in order to preserve their lives; lower income levels in comparison with similarly educated groups; and, lastly, an inequality between the artists themselves. Given that creative independence is essential for artistic activity, the majority of artists are self-employed or are freelance workers in terms of employment status. Despite the absence of a fixed employment relationship, most of the artists are economically dependent on managers, publishers, producers, gallery owners and other intermediaries. However, a definitional difference prevents them from obtaining labour law protection. Since the nature of artistic work is not in conformity with labour and social security regulations, it deserves a separate discussion by considering the social rights of the artists, such as right to work, right to social security, etc. In this context, the study intends to initiate a debate for further studies
