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State Support and Creativity in the Arts: Some New Considerations

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Abstract

Neglected aspects of state support for the arts are discussed through posing two questions. First, “What kind of state is providing that support?” The extent and type of public support and its effects on the arts crucially depends on whether the state is centralised or decentralised, and on whether it is authoritarian or democratic. Second, “How is artistic creativity fostered?” ”Institutional creativity” is best supported by attributing a large role to the market and market-like institutions. “Personal creativity” hinges on intrinsic motivation, which may be crowded out by different types of public support. Important consequences for the public support of the arts follow.

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  1. Institute for Empirical Economic Research, University of Zurich, Blümlisalpstrasse 10, CH-8006, Zurich, Switzerland

    Bruno S. Frey

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Frey, B.S. State Support and Creativity in the Arts: Some New Considerations. Journal of Cultural Economics 23, 71–85 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007518203490

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