Smoothing Out the Peaks and Troughs: Examining the Sustainability Strategies of Island-Based Creative Practitioners

Abstract

First paragraph: This chapter takes as its focus an exploration of the everyday experiences of craft workers in island geographies and how they adapt and manage their activities in distinct, informal and, arguably, entrepreneurial ways. As argued by Annette Naudin elsewhere in this book, exploration of the everyday practices of craft workers allows for a more nuanced examination which takes account of some of the contradictions and complexities associated with a conceptualisation of craft entrepreneurship. The chapter draws on a research project aimed at developing a better understanding of contemporary cultural work within geographical contexts considered to be rural and remote and, in particular, at contributing to knowledge regarding the factors that support sustainable careers in cultural work in such locations. Focusing on craft entrepreneurs active in the Northern Isles of Scotland, this chapter examines some of the specific challenges and complexities they faced and explores the techniques they adopted in an effort to reduce their precarious status.