How much does art provide escape from everyday life, and how much does it aid in controlling life? How are art worlds built and maintained? Are new styles the creations of whim or genius? Or are stylistic changes the product of the social and political world in which the artist lives? How does art itself shape these worlds? How are art worlds built and maintained? In a book that ranges across cultures, artistic forms, and the centuries, Harrison White offers his unique vision of expression and artistic production embedded in a world of complex social networks. Participating in this process, artists, audiences, entrepreneurs, collectors, and critics form identities for themselves and others. Cultural and social forces both near and distant interplay here, often in ways not immediately apparent to observers or even to the participants. With chapter-by-chapter annotated guides to further reading and ideas for field work, this is also a book to be used as an investigative tool for students and general readers. Careers and Creativity will change the way we think about artistic careers, creativity, and the production of meaning in art.