Enterprise Culture and the Arts: Neoliberal Values and British Art Institutions

Abstract

Neoliberal discourse has spread from the economic realm into all parts of society. This chapter discusses the current situation of neoliberal discourses and their effects on the arts, focusing on the United Kingdom. It also examines the historical development of British cultural policy, highlighting trends toward the marketization of the arts, increasing government intervention, and a growing emphasis on managerialism. The analysis shows that British arts organizations have been deeply affected by state and corporate interests. The chapter draws on the work of Pierre Bourdieu, who describes the field of cultural production as containing two poles that are autonomous or heteronomous. By tracing British cultural policy as it came to favor enterprise culture, the chapter demonstrates an increasing loss of autonomy in the arts.