- Inter-faculty Studies in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
- Bachelor's degree, first cycle programme, Computer Science
- Bachelor's degree, first cycle programme, Mathematics
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Computer Science
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Mathematics
Economics of Art and Culture 2400-ZEWW714-OG
How cultural markets work (or why they might fail)? What is the economic rationale for government intervention in art and culture? Are artists willing to work for free? Does theatre bring profit? What are the determinants of attendance in cinemas? – these are the question cultural economics hopes to answer. The history of the discipline starts in the 60’s of 20th century. In Poland the broader discussion opened up in 2009 after Kongres Kultury Polskiej – event that introduced economics of culture into public discourse.
Founding publication for cultural economics - “Performing Arts: The Economic Dilema” (1966) - required from the authors, “months of searching through dusty files in cramped backstage offices, hours spent collecting questionnaires from audiences, interviews with producers, managers and choreographers, and a massive correspondence”. Fifty years later cultural economics is an interdisciplinary field of scientific research, where economists can use concepts and tools from other disciplines: microeconomics, economy of public sector, econometrics, using much better databases with rationale expectation that their research can influence cultural policy.
The course is conducted in 3 blocs:
1. Economic profile of the cultural sector:
- cultural goods - the economic description;
- scale and scope of the cultural and creative sector in Poland;
- production, cost and supply of cultural goods;
- artists’ labour market and economics of copyright;
- audience, participation and demand for cultural goods.
2. The economics of cultural fields:
- performing arts;
- cultural heritage;
- creative industries: music, film, broadcasting and book publishing.
3. Public-good properties of cultural goods:
- the economic rationale for government intervention in markets;
- the effects of public policy on arts markets and the welfare of society – application of non-market valuation;
- culture and development.
Type of course
Learning outcomes
Students understand basics of cultural economics and can apply the concepts and tools learned at obligatory courses in the context of arts and culture. They are able to read scientific article in the field of cultural economics as well as make simple analysis of quantitative data for culture. Students can formulate their observations in this field in structured text using language of cultural economics.
Assessment criteria
Final grade will be based on the prepared short essay quality. The essay will be a description of selected cultural phenomenon made with the use of the language of cultural economics.
Bibliography
Towse, R. (2010) „A Textbook of Cultural Economics”, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK
Additional:
Ginsburgh, V., Throsby D. (red.) (2006) „Handbook of the Economics of Art and Culture”, vol. 1, Elsevier, North-Holland
Ginsburgh, V., Throsby D. (red.) (2014) „Handbook of the Economics of Art and Culture”, vol. 2, Elsevier, North-Holland
Selected scientific articles from „Journal of cultural economics”
Additional information
Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:
- Inter-faculty Studies in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
- Bachelor's degree, first cycle programme, Computer Science
- Bachelor's degree, first cycle programme, Mathematics
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Computer Science
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Mathematics
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: