Tag Archives: cultural economics

I’m Back at It…a little bit

Posted on April 23, 2024 by lindaessig

I was invited recently by my colleagues at the IU Arts Entrepreneurship and Innovation Lab to contribute to a monograph they are editing on “Cultural Entrepreneurship” in the Foundations and Trends in Entrepreneurship series. To my surprise, and I think … Continue reading →

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Pre-order now available

Posted on October 27, 2021 by lindaessig

I am thrilled to announce that Creative Infrastructures: Artists, Money, and Entrepreneurial Action is now available for pre-order. E-book or UK paper from Intellect Books US Paperback from University of Chicago Press

Posted in Arts entrepreneurship, Arts funding, arts infrastructure, Arts policy, Culture and democracy, Institutional Infrastructure, Personal infrastructure, Physical Infrastructure | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

In Which I Review the Theory of Public Goods

Posted on September 3, 2014 by lindaessig

Because “art is a public good” is an oft-used trope for justifying public funding for the arts, every so often I like to review Samuelson’s seminal work on the topic, “A Theory of Public Expenditure.” (It seems, lately, that reading … Continue reading →

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Michelle Obama’s Bully Pulpit

Posted on February 25, 2013 by lindaessig

“every day through engagement in the arts, our children learn to open their imaginations to dream just a little bigger and to strive every day to reach those dreams.” The numbers aren’t in yet, but it is estimated that a … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts education, Arts funding, Culture and democracy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Catch 23 in Kansas

Posted on February 1, 2013 by lindaessig

Wichita Public Radio did a story this week* about the before-and-after effects of the decimation and then partial restoration of the Kansas Arts Commission, now the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission.  The change is not just rhetorical.  The piece lists … Continue reading →

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It’s Complicated

Posted on January 3, 2013 by lindaessig

Relationships are complicated.  Perhaps none are more complicated than the relationship between art and money.   What makes the relationship so complicated isn’t “love,” but “value.”  Economic theories from Adam Smith to Karl Marx focus on the distinction between value-in-use (a … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts entrepreneurship, Arts funding, Arts policy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Reading List in Progress

Posted on October 24, 2012 by lindaessig

Many thanks to those of you who responded here or via email to my query, “What to Read?” With just seven sessions, it is especially challenging to decide what to read in a short one-credit course focused on arts policy … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts education, Arts policy, Higher education, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Why Arts Entrepreneurship?

Posted on July 6, 2012 by lindaessig

After “Hey Where’d Your Creativity Go?,” the questions I get asked most often is, “WHY Arts Entrepreneurship?”  It seems fitting that for the 100th posting on Creative Infrastructure, I answer that question.  There are many reasons why I decided to … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts education, Arts entrepreneurship, Arts funding, arts infrastructure | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

It’s Not the Economy

Posted on June 20, 2012 by lindaessig

For years I’ve said that the economic impact argument doesn’t work for the arts and arts advocacy.  We keep making it, but it’s not working. A comment by John Shipley on Ian David Moss’s Createquity blog brought into clear focus … Continue reading →

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There’s Something Happening Here – 2

Posted on March 15, 2012 by lindaessig

What it is ain’t exactly clear, but over on Arlene Goldbard and Barry Hessenius’s art clout blogfest, Diane Ragsdale suggests that the NEA should be “disintegrated and it’s components set free” in response to Arlene and Barry’s prompt: “With a … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts funding, arts infrastructure, Arts policy, Culture and democracy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments