The economics of the national performing arts - exploiting consumer surplus and willingness-to-pay: a case of cultural policy failure?
Titel:
The economics of the national performing arts - exploiting consumer surplus and willingness-to-pay: a case of cultural policy failure?
Auteur:
Evans, Graeme L.
Verschenen in:
Leisure studies
Paginering:
Jaargang 18 (1999) nr. 2 pagina's 97-118
Jaar:
1999-04-01
Inhoud:
The subsidized national performing arts companies in Britain have experienced a transformation in their economic performance over the last decade. Significant increases in ticket prices have been achieved, but not as might be expected to offset reductions in government subsidy, which have generally been maintained or even increased, but instead to fund increased staff and administration costs. This paper examines the trends in performance, ticket prices and audiences for the major subsidized performing arts companies in England over a ten year period 1986/7-1995/6. This economic and trend analysis shows that these major companies have been successful in increasing ticket prices and box office revenue, effectively exploiting audience willingness-to-pay, but have not generally increased audiences or their output in terms of the number of performances and productions staged. In contrast to attendance at live arts events generally, which have actually increased over this same period, the national grant-aided arts companies have offered fewer productions and performances to a declining but higher spending audience, rather than widening access or the profile of attenders, whilst at the same time maintaining their levels of subsidy. Analysis of this decade of the subsidized arts therefore presents a paradoxical case of economic 'success' but cultural policy 'failure'.
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