Performers in Dire Straits? (7)
I believe the answer is:
artists
'performers' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'dire straits?' is the wordplay.
'dire' is an anagram indicator.
'straits' anagrammed gives 'ARTISTS'.
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for artists that I've seen before include "Creative people" , "Painters" , "music performers?" , "Monet and Manet, for example" , "They imagine" .)