Skip to main content
Log in

Access to and participation in the arts: the case of those with low incomes/educational attainment

  • Published:
Journal of Cultural Economics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper looks at the issue of access to the arts in terms of the very unequal attendance at and audiences for the high arts by educational grouping. The meaning of equal access is analysed recent data for two countries, namely the United States and Ireland, are examined and new evidence is proffered. The constraints/barriers to, and the rationale for, more equal attendance/audiences are examined. The paper concludes by outlining a number of possible responses to this continuing problem.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • AMS Planning and Research Corp. (1996) American Participation in Theater (National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division Report No. 35), Seven Oaks Press, Santa Anna Ca.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arts Council of Great Britain (1991) Report on a Survey on Arts and Cultural Activities in Great Britain (prepared by Research Survey of Great Britain Limited), London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergonzi, L. and Smith, J. (1996) Effects of Arts Education on Participation in the Arts (National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division Report No. 36), Seven Oaks Press, Santa Anna Ca.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cherbo, J. M. and Peters, M. (1995) American Participation in Opera and Musical Theater (National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division Report No. 32), Seven Oaks Press, Santa Anna Ca.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clancy, P.et al. (1994) The Public and the Arts: A Survey of Behaviour and Attitudes in Ireland. Arts Council, Dublin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clotfelter, C. T. (ed.) (1992) Who Benefits from the Nonprofit Sector?. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Veaux, S. (1995) Jazz In America: Who's Listening? (National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division Report No. 31), Seven Oaks Press, Santa Anna Ca.

    Google Scholar 

  • Equality Studies Centre (1995) “A Framework for Equality Proofing” (unpublished paper, The Equality Studies Centre, University College Dublin, April).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, C. M. (1995) Turning On and Tuning In (National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division Report No. 33), Seven Oaks Press, Santa Anna Ca.

    Google Scholar 

  • Késenne, S. (1994) “Can a Basic Income Cure Baumol's Disease?”, Journal of Cultural Economics 18: 93–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, J. (1996) “Poverty: Access and Participation in the Arts” (draft Report for a Working Group of the Combat Poverty Agency and The Arts Council, Dublin, April).

  • National Endowment for the Arts (1993) Arts Participation in America: 1982–1992 (Research Division Report No. 27), Washington DC.

  • Netzer, D. (1991) “Distributional Effects of Cultural Subsidies: Some Conceptual Questions and Empirical Evidence for the US” (paper presented at a conference in Venice, May).

  • Orend, R. (1989) Socialization and Participation in the Arts. National Endowment for the Arts, Washington DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Hagan, J. (1996) “Participation in the Arts in the United States”, Journal of Cultural Economics 20:251–257.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Hagan, J. and Duffy, C. T. (1988) “Equal Access to the Performing Arts: An Ill-Defined Goal?” (paper presented to Fifth International Conference on Cultural Economics, Ottawa, Canada, 27–30 September).

  • O'Hagan, J. and Duffy, C. T. (1989) The Performing Arts and the Public Purse: An Economic Analysis. Arts Council, Dublin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, R. et al. (1996) Age and Arts Participation (National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division Report No. 34), Seven Oaks Press, Santa Anna Ca.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tollison, R. (1994) “Book Review”, Journal of Cultural Economics 18: 323–324.

    Google Scholar 

  • Towse, R. (1994) “Achieving Public Policy Objectives in the Arts and Heritage”, in A. Peacock and I. Rizzo (eds.), Cultural Economics and Cultural Policies. Kluwer, Dordrecht.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This paper was presented at the 9th international conference of the Association for Cultural Economics, held in Boston, May 8–11, 1996.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

O'Hagan, J.W. Access to and participation in the arts: the case of those with low incomes/educational attainment. J Cult Econ 20, 269–282 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00149232

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00149232

Key words

Navigation