The Artful Economist
A New Look at Cultural Economics

Editors: Ilde Rizzo, Ruth Towse



Combines theoretical approaches with applications to the arts, culture and media

Gives an insight in the expanding horizons of cultural economics beyond its original range of topics

Inspired by the seminal contributions of Alan Peacock, a leading figure in cultural economics

Specially commissioned chapters by leading writers in the field, reassessing the future direction of cultural economics

This book reassesses central topics in cultural economics: Public finance and public choice theory as the basis for decision-making in cultural and media policy, the role of welfare economics in cultural policy, the economics of creative industries, the application of empirical testing to the performing arts and the economics of cultural heritage. Cultural economics has made enormous progress over the last 50 years, to which Alan Peacock made an important contribution. The volume brings together many of the senior figures, whose contributions to the various special fields of cultural economics have been instrumental in the development of the subject, and others reflecting on the subject's progress and assessing its future direction.

Alan Peacock has been one of the leading lights of cultural economics and in this volume Ilde Rizzo and Ruth Towse and the other contributors ably capture the import of his contributions in a broader context of political economy. In doing so, they offer an overview of progress in cultural economics over the last forty years.
Tyler Cowen, Professor of Economics and Director of the Mecatus Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA


A fitting tribute to Professor Sir Alan Peacock's inspiring intellect leadership and his outstandingly rich and varied legacy in the domain of cultural economics, this book draws together illuminating analyses and insights from leading cultural economists about the role and value of this dynamic and increasingly policy-relevant field of enquiry.
Gillian Doyle, Professor of Media Economics and Director of Centre for Cultural Policy Research, University of Glasgow, UK

Table of contents (16 chapters)

Introduction

The Individual Choice-Public Choice Perspective and Cultural Economics

Welfare Economics and Public Policy: A Re-examination

Public Choice, Economics of Institutions and the Italian School of Public Finance

Political Economy of Broadcasting: The Legacy of the Peacock Report on Financing the BBC

The Public Spending for Culture in the Face of Decentralization Processes and Economic Recession: The Case of Italy

Performance Rights in Music: Some Perspectives from Economics, Law and History

Copyright and Music Publishing in the UK

The Composer in the Market Place Revisited: The Economics of Music Composition Today

Market Options and Public Action for Opera

Towards More Innovative Museums

Technological Perspectives for Cultural Heritage

Archaeological Cultural Heritage: A Consideration of Loss by Smuggling, Conflict or War

Theory and Practice of Cultural Heritage Policy

On Judging Art and Wine

Afterword