Re-framing the economy of arts

aus der Festschrift Zehn Jahre Depot, diverse Autoren, http://www.depot.or.at/files/depot_10jahre.pdf: The conventional discourse by policy-makers and cultural promoters as a justification for public support inadequately conceptualizes the impact of cultural activity. Bruce Barber explores the consequences of a complex historical framework for cultural policy and critiques the view, likely to find favour in liberal capitalist democracies, that culture might generate social cohesion in an uncomplicated fashion. While arguing the economic necessity of supporting the arts, he points out that the consequences will not always be harmonious, and may indeed generate socially useful conflict.