With this paper, from the perspective of ethics at the workplace, we problematize the taken-for-granted assumptions embedded in the use of artistic freedom in creative processes. Drawing on the notion of inequality regimes (e.g. Acker, 2006) and using empirical material from a performing arts organization in Sweden, we explore how the assumptions of artistic freedom facilitate and legitimize the emergence of inequality regimes in invisible and subtle manners. Our findings indicate that non-reflexive interpretations of the concept of artistic freedom result in ethical dilemmas that impact the organization's pursuits of equality work. The aesthetic ethics oriented around the notion of ‘art for the sake of art’ tends to camouflage the centralization of aesthetic authority in processes where formal hierarchical structures are missing. Consequently, asymmetrical power relations between the Directors, actors, and producers are legitimized. Ethics of quality of art and that of the social ideal of equality have been constructed as dichotomic notions indicating that aesthetic ethics of art can only be preserved at the expense of social objectives of equality. We argue that the current interpretative practices of ‘artistic freedom’ in some cultural organizations add little value of ethics to the freedom of expressing artistic opinions and in achieving the social ideal of equality but lead to the emergence of inequality regimes in the artistic work processes.

通过本文，从工作场所的道德角度出发，我们对嵌入在创作过程中艺术自由使用中的假定假设提出了质疑。利用不平等制度的概念（例如Acker，2006年）并使用瑞典表演艺术组织的经验材料，我们探索艺术自由的假设如何以无形和微妙的方式促进和合法化不平等制度的出现。我们的发现表明，对艺术自由概念的非反思性解释会导致伦理困境，从而影响组织对平等工作的追求。围绕“为了艺术而艺术”的审美伦理倾向于掩盖在缺少正式的等级结构的过程中审美权威的集中化。最后，导演，演员和制作人之间的不对称权力关系是合法的。艺术品质伦理和平等的社会理想伦理已被构建为二分法概念，表明只能以牺牲平等的社会目标为代价来维护艺术审美伦理。我们认为，当前某些文化组织对“艺术自由”的解释性实践在表达艺术见解和实现平等的社会理想的自由方面几乎没有道德价值，但导致了艺术工作过程中不平等制度的出现。艺术品质伦理和平等的社会理想伦理已被构建为二分法概念，表明只能以牺牲平等的社会目标为代价来维护艺术审美伦理。我们认为，当前某些文化组织对“艺术自由”的解释性实践在表达艺术见解和实现平等的社会理想的自由方面几乎没有道德价值，但导致了艺术工作过程中不平等制度的出现。艺术品质伦理和平等的社会理想伦理已被构建为二分法概念，表明只能以牺牲平等的社会目标为代价来维护艺术审美伦理。我们认为，当前某些文化组织对“艺术自由”的解释性实践在表达艺术见解和实现平等的社会理想的自由方面几乎没有道德价值，但导致了艺术工作过程中不平等制度的出现。