Abstract
Only a small proportion of the population ever attends live performances of classical art. Crucial determinants are entry price, education, and preferences. The public sector can support the performing arts by giving a fixed sum, by making donations tax deductible, and by covering the deficit. Profit-oriented firms can exist when fixed costs are small, audiences large, and price discrimination and cross-subsidization feasible. There may also be co-operatives. The cost disease threatens the survival of the performing arts because the wages paid must rise in line with the other sectors in the economy. Labour productivity often cannot be raised. Admission prices can be increased provided consumer react little to price changes. Artistic performances can be made more attractive to a larger proportion of people.
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Various aspects of the performing arts are competently treated in handbook articles by
Brooks AC (2006) Nonprofit firms in the performing arts. In: Ginsburgh VA, Throsby D (eds) Handbook of the economics of art and culture. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 473–506
Luksetich WA (2003) Orchestras. In: Towse R (ed) A handbook of cultural economics. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham UK and Northampton, MA, USA, pp 349–355
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Towse R (2003) Opera. In: Towse R (ed) A handbook of cultural economics. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham UK and Northampton, MA, USA, pp 342–348
The cost disease was identified by
Baumol WJ, Bowen WG (1966) Performing arts. The economic dilemma; A study of problems common to theater, opera, music and dance. The Twentieth Century Fund, Hartford CT
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Frey, B.S. (2019). The Performing Arts. In: Economics of Art and Culture. SpringerBriefs in Economics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15748-7_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15748-7_7
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