Much recent research has documented how, under ‘creative’ capitalism, approaches towards work and types of work are changing. This paper extends this research direction, uncovering the discourses that influence conditions of work in one sector of the cultural industries: what can loosely be defined as the ‘dance music industry’. It examines the role that networking and social relations play in maintaining a music scene through which work opportunities are created. The paper also explores how attitudes toward work in this particular cultural pursuit are emblematic of wider shifts in working practices within the cultural and creative industries. The findings are based on interviews with various DJs and promoters within dance and electronic music scenes in Sydney. It is argued that the boundaries between work and non-work, and between ‘industry’ and ‘scene’, are porous for those engaged in this form of cultural production, with a need to further discuss the implications of these observations for the future of cultural work under advanced capitalism.
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