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“Life is short, art is long”: the persistent wage gap between Bohemian and non-Bohemian graduates

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Abstract

In recent years, there has been a widespread interest in the economic development role played by ‘Bohemian’ occupations and the ‘creative class’. It is believed that creative people and occupations generate external effects which foster economic growth. However, the degree to which these externalities affect production and consumption is as yet not clear. As part of this debate, we investigate the ability of creative individuals to internalize the rents accruing from creative occupations in comparison with other types of activities. In order to do this, the paper analyzes the employment opportunities and wages earned by graduates in artistic occupations (Bohemians) and compares them with those of non-Bohemians. Using a uniquely longitudinal dataset of UK university graduates, we examine these issues using a Mincer-type framework, both in the short and in medium term after graduation. Our findings suggest that there is a persistent gap between Bohemian and non-Bohemians in terms of both the wages earned and employment status. This observation sharpens the need to better understanding the nature and extent of the externalities associated with the creative class which remains an unresolved issue.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen, PO Box 800, 9700 AV, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Maria Abreu & Philip McCann

  2. School of Geography, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK

    Alessandra Faggian

  3. School of Arts, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NZ, UK

    Roberta Comunian

Authors
  1. Maria Abreu
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  2. Alessandra Faggian
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  3. Roberta Comunian
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  4. Philip McCann
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Correspondence to Alessandra Faggian.

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Abreu, M., Faggian, A., Comunian, R. et al. “Life is short, art is long”: the persistent wage gap between Bohemian and non-Bohemian graduates. Ann Reg Sci 49, 305–321 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00168-010-0422-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00168-010-0422-4

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