ABSTRACT The purpose of the project research was to investigate the impact of the Zambian 2003 national cultural policy on the performing arts industry with specific reference to working conditions both in the public and private domains in Zambia. It is also an effort to assess the efficacy of the cultural policy within a broader policy environment. Generally, two categories of performing artists namely the publicly and privately sponsored exist in Zambia. Two sample groups representing the two categories of performing artists were consulted in the study. The publicly sponsored sample was drawn from the uniformed services and the national dance troupe while the privately sponsored performers were represented by a selection of performers who do not work in the civil service. The methodology included field and desk research in which social-scientific and humanistic methods involving structured and semi-structured interviews were used, coupled with the use of textual materials from employment and performance contracts, civil service terms of employment, the National Arts Council Act, national arts associations’ constitutions, cultural and labour policies among others. The results revealed mixed reactions from all the respondents with regard to the research question; however it became apparent that the policy had not positively impacted on the industry as the negative responses outweighed the positive feedback. Despite the policy theoretically addressing a number of issues in the arts industry, it was very difficult to practically implement the strategies therein successfully. A number of reasons can be advanced for the inefficiency such as lack of matching sectoral legislation to enforce the policy and the absence of a union to complement government’s efforts. It was further discovered that to some extent, the formulation of the policy was rushed and did not very well fit into the traditional perspectives of the people about the arts industry. This reinforces the question of whether is it necessary for all nations to have cultural policies when supporting institutional and legal frameworks are not in place. The Zambian case reveals the pitfalls in legislating culture. 1