How to Attract and Retain Artistic Talent: The Case of an Italian Ballet Company

Previous studies have highlighted the relevance of human capital in the performing arts but have not investigated which factors attract and retain artistic talent. This article aims to fill the gap by answering three research questions: How can organizations attract and retain artistic talent? Why do artists choose to work with a particular organization? Do retention factors differ from attraction factors? In order to address these questions, the authors conducted an explorative case study of Italy???s most renowned contemporary ballet company, Fondazione Nazionale della Danza Aterballetto. Differences among attraction and retention factors emerged based on individual characteristics such as professional experience and professional needs. All dancers were attracted by the reputation of the resident choreographer, the reputation of the organization and the ???flat??? structure of the organization. The main retention factors were as follows: for all dancers, characteristics of the creative process; for the more experienced dancers, the perception of a collaborative and open environment offering opportunities to collaborate with both organizational members and external artists and thus to develop a professional network. Implications for research and management are discussed.