Why are artists poor? : the relentless economy of the arts

Most Artists Earn Very Little. Nevertheless, There Is No Shortage Of Aspiring Young Artists. Do They Give To The Arts Willingly Or Unknowingly? Governments And Other Institutions Also Give To The Arts, To Raise The Low Incomes. But Their Support Is Ineffective: Subsidies Only Increase The Artists' Poverty. The Economy Of The Arts Is Exceptional. Although The Arts Operate Successfully In The Marketplace, Their Natural Affinity Is With Gift-giving, Rather Than With Commercial Exchange. People Believe That Artists Are Selflessly Dedicated To Art, That Price Does Not Reflect Quality, And That The Arts Are Free. But Is It True? This Unconventional Multidisciplinary Analysis Explains The Exceptional Economy Of The Arts. Insightful Illustrations From The Practice Of A Visual Artist Support The Analysis. Hans Abbing. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 349-360) And Indexes. Table of Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 12 1 Sacred Art: Who Has the Power to Define Art?......Page 18 2 The Denial of the Economy: Why Are Gifts to the Arts Praised, While Market Incomes Remain Suspect?......Page 35 3 Economic Value Versus Aesthetic Value: Is There Any Financial Reward for Quality?......Page 53 4 The Selflessly Devoted Artist: Are Artists Reward-Oriented?......Page 79 5 Money for the Artist: Are Artists Just Ill-Informed Gamblers?......Page 104 6 Structural Poverty: Do Subsidies and Donations Increase Poverty?......Page 125 7 The Cost Disease: Do Rising Costs in the Arts Make Subsidization......Page 153 8 The Power and the Duty to Give: Why Give to the Arts?......Page 182 9 The Government Serves Art: Do Art Subsidies Serve the Public Interest......Page 204 10 Art Serves the Government: How Symbiotic Is the Relationship between Art......Page 233 11 Informal Barriers Structure the Arts: How Free or Monopolized Are the Arts?......Page 260 12 Conclusion: a Cruel Economy: Why Is the Exceptional Economy of the Arts......Page 281 Epilogue: the Future Economy of the Arts......Page 296 Notes......Page 312 Literature......Page 350 Index of Names......Page 362 Most artists earn very little. Nevertheless, there is no shortage of aspiring young artists. Do they willing or unwilling give to the arts? Governments and other institutions also give to the arts. They often subsidize the arts to raise the low incomes. But their support is ineffective: subsidies only increase the artists’ poverty. The economy of the arts is exceptional. Although the arts operate successfully in the marketplace, their natural affinity is with gift-giving rather than with commercial exchange. People believe that artists are selflessly dedicated to art, that price does not reflect quality and that the arts are free. But is this true? This unconventional multidisciplinary analysis explains the exceptional economy of the arts. Insightful illustrations from the practice of a visual artist support the analysis. An unconventional socio-economic analysis of the economic position of the arts and artists Economische analyse van de kunstsector en het kunstbeleid, met name in Nederland