When artists judge the value of theatre locations through the prism of their own careers
This article intends to reintroduce the artistic dimension in the evaluation of theaters, without only considering it from the point of view of artistic works. This focus on the artistic value, as well as on the recent and abundant academic work on the artistic professions, has disregarded the role played by the institutions in the organization of the profession. How do artists who evolve in these institutions of creation, production and dissemination of their works value a theater ? In support of a qualitative survey of directors and choreographers, we will show that artists resort to three dimensions when they evaluate a theater : the material and technical aspects since a theater is appreciated as a working tool ; the identity and artistic dimension since a theater is evaluated as a partner ; the reputational impact since a theater is considered as an intermediary organization. In the end, taking this three-dimensional evaluation into account reveals a complex hierarchy among theaters which appear to be an important regulatory tool for the profession. As an intermediary contributor to the artistic labor market, theaters play a role in the value and social selection of creators. But above all, this hierarchy among theaters reveals a horizontal division of labor which largely depends on an artist’s career and the conditions of elaboration of their artistic work.