Do artworks really contribute to social prosperity,

and is there any way to prove it?

Michael Hutter Social Science Research Center Berlin

Technical University Berlin

Prague, March 27, 2009

Artworks

Rich social life Economic wealth

Prosperity

The „Relevance of Size“ Method

• Increase the size of the cultural sector by including all products based on „creative acts“

• Do so preferably by applying the DCMS/NESTA definition

• Show the relative size of the Creative Sector in your political domain, using national or regional GDP or revenue data

0

20

40

60

80

Mec

hani

cal c

onstr

uctio

n

Autom

otive

Indu

stry

Creat

ive In

dustr

ies

Chem

ical I

ndus

try

Energ

y su

pply

2.6%

German gross value added in bn €, Source: Söndermann 2009

Relative sizes of economic sectors in terms of Euro-measured added value, Germany 2006

2.1% 1.9%3.2% 3.1%

„Creative Economy“ Method

• Smith 1998: creative industries drive the growth of Britain‘s economy

• Potts/Cunningham 2008: creative industries drive the „development and adoption of new knowledge“ in any economy

• Hutter: artworks contain a kind of new knowledge that adds value to any economy because it is unexpected, and therefore surprising, offensive or overlooked

Artworks contribute about one third to CI value

Creative IndustriesArtworks:

Art objectsFiction booksMusicTheaterArchitectureDesignFilm/Video

Calculation based on Söndermann 2009

Creative Industry Products

Creative Economy

Artworks and creative industry products drive the economyby generating changes in the minds and institutions of those who participate in economic transactions

Artworks

Is there a way to prove this claim?

• Separate different levels on which artworks might impact on economic products

• Select concrete historical and empirical episodes

• Identify the effects of artworks in these cases

Artworks

Creative Industry Products

Organisations

Attitudes

Perceptions

Separation of the four levels of effects on which artworks drive the economy

Examples from my research program

Out of nine examples used in the following slides • Seven are chosen from studies that are either

completed or currently in progress

• Two are chosen from planned projects

Creative Industry Productsuse artistic techniques and patterns

Computer games: GTA4, 2008

Advertising: Bloomingdale‘s 1972

Organisations

Artistic intervention increases effectiveness

Motivation and reputation:Würth 1995

Interactive skills:Arts in Business 2009

AttitudesArtworks change attitudes

towards consumption

Instructions for a „commercial society“:Hogarth 1732

Codification of new consumption cultures:

Beatles 1963

Perceptionsalter the ability to make and use visual products

Convention of singular space

1427

Convention of fragmented space

1906

Convention of mixed cultural spaces

2004

14001500

16001700

Effects of Linear Perspective on

Space Perception Products

Masaccio, 1427

Le Notre, 1688

Bosse, 1643Besson, 1578

Sixtus V, 1585

Perceptionsalter the ability to make and use visual products

Convention of singular space

1427

Convention of fragmented space

1906

Convention of mixed cultural spaces

2004

Conclusion

There is a way to prove the impact of artworks on the value creation of an entire economy:

• Distinguish between impacts on mental perceptions, personal attitudes, active organisations and real products

• Use a reasoned combination of historical evidence, empirical fact, expert opinion and plausible inference to demonstrate the effects

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© 2009