The nonprofit performing arts have received substantial attention in the cultural economics literature, and represent an interesting application for many areas of economic inquiry. This chapter surveys the relevant theory and the most prominent empirical studies on performing arts nonprofits....

American cultural policy is made and executed by multiple governmental entities, with a large part of direct public expenditure coming from sub-national governments rather than the central government. Much the largest share of government support is provided by tax concessions for gifts to...

No good comparable data on sizes of cultural sectors of the countries of Europe exist. Still, local and national governments of Europe spend substantial resources on culture and cultural sectors contribute significantly to employment and national income. After briefly describing special features...

Cultural allegiances whether inherited, imposed or chosen, affect economic activity. Many of these cultural layers – ethnic background, religion, language, ideological orientation, and artistic interests – spill over national boundaries. Cultural ideas travel the world along many routes from...

This chapter critically assesses, from an economic viewpoint, the role of the arts and culture in urban and regional development and growth. This includes the analysis of short run spending impacts, and longer term effects on location quality and creativity. In addition, the specific...

This chapter begins by noting that culture as an element in economic development in the Third World has been largely neglected in traditional development economics, most writers either seeing culture as an obstacle to development or ignoring it altogether. Recently a shift in thinking has...

The revolutionary growth in economic prosperity and technological change that underlie the “new economy” have profoundly affected the arts. They have evidently contributed new and previously unimaginable methods of dissemination and preservation. But they have even had revolutionary effects...

Artistic value played a minor role in classical philosophy, but moved to center stage in 18th century aesthetic theory and also played a role in moral philosophy. The value of Art and the process of its valuation has remained an indispensable subject of modern aesthetics, while economists have...

Attention to art and culture goes far back in the history of economic thought. In the seventeenth century those activities were viewed suspiciously as likely to be either wasteful extravagances of the aristocracy, or dangerous distractions for the working classes. Eighteenth century economic...