A cooperative association of craftsmen or labourers in Russia and the former Soviet Union who work communally and share the proceeds of their work; historical.

Before the revolution, the carpenters formed an artel to bid on large construction projects.

By extension, any cooperative group of people engaged in a common enterprise.

The volunteers operated like an artel, pooling their skills to rebuild the community centre.

arteladjective

Relating to or characteristic of an artel; cooperative in the manner of a communal workers' group.

The villagers adopted an artel approach to running the communal farm.