Economics and the Arts: A Review of Seven Years

Contributions to the literature on the economics of the arts are reviewed covering the period 1975 to date. It is argued that although the work surveyed is uneven in quality and incomplete in its coverage, it has made sufficient impact to establish the economics of the arts as a significant area in the development of economic theory and analysis. The paper assesses the importance and relevance of work carried out in four broad areas of study: the role of government in arts markets; the operations of funding agencies; the production of arts goods and services; and consumer behaviour and demand for private consumption in the arts.