The paper analyses the trend of precarisation among art workers and how they have organized into collectives in response to economic and political crisis. Drawing on research with theatre collective in Portugal and Brazil, we discuss the role and forms of cooperation in the arts sector, that go beyond the artistic labour in contesting austerity politics and seeking the improvement of the working conditions and living standards for all. By providing a comparative study of these workers collectives, we aim to contribute to current debates on cooperatives and the wider social and solidarity economy (SSE).

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precarity,cooperation,worker collectives,art workers,social and solidarity economy.