The article presents the overview of theoretical conceptions of sociology of art developing within the paradigm of production and consumption. After discussing the works by Richard Peterson who stand at the origins of meaningful use of metaphorics of production in investigations of art, the programs of Howard Becker and Pierre Bourdieu are considered. From our point of view, though there are significant differences in understanding the social, both identically interpret sociologically relevant phenomena of art («sociology of art without art»). The common views allow us to construct the general line of critique against them, the brief survey of which concludes the overview.