Abstract
In the New South Africa, as in other developing countries, the equitable distribution of public resources is a priority. The case for public support of the arts is thus difficult to make because it has been shown and borne out by South African research, that arts audiences tend to represent the better educated, more prosperous minority of society, not the majority of the very poor, mainly African-origin population. Using data from willingness to pay studies conducted at two South African arts festivals, this paper shows that, when the positive externalities provided by the arts are included in their valuation, it can be shown that both high and low income earners benefit. However, as suggested by Seaman (2003), it is also found that some of what the WTP figure is capturing is current and expected future economic benefit from the event.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Antrobus, G., Williams, V., Fryer, D., Khumalo, B., Streak, J. and Webb, A. (1997) The Economic Impact of the 1996 Standard Bank National Arts Festival. Department of Economics, Rhodes University, Grahamstown.
Arrow, K., Solow, R., Portney, P., Leamer, E., Rader, R. and Schumar, H. (1993) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Panel on Contingent Valuation US Department of Commerce.
Arrow, K., Learner, E., Schuman, H. and Solow, R. (1994) Comments on NOAA Proposed Rule of Damage Assessment 69.
Carson, R., Hanemann, M., Kopp, R.J., Krosnick, J.A., Mitcell, R.C., Presser, S., Ruud, P.A. and Smith, V.K. (1995) “Temporal Reliability of Estimates from Contingent Valuation.” Resources for the Future: Washington DC Discussion paper 95–37 [On line] Available: http://www.rff.org/methods/nonmkt.htm [Accessed 15/3/03].
Carson, R., Mitchell, R., Hanemann, M., Kopp, R., Presser, S. and Ruud, P. (2003) “Contingent Valuation and Lost Passive Use Damages from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill.” Environmental and Resource Economics 25: 257–286.
Carson, R. (1997) “Contingent Valuation: Theoretical Advances and Empirical Tests Since the NOAA Panel.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 79(5): 1501–1508.
Diamond, P. and Hausman, J. (1994) “Contingent Valuation: Is Some Number Better Than No Number?” Journal of Economic Perspectives 8(4): 45–65.
Dobson, L. and West, E. (1990) “Performing Arts Subsidies and Future Generations.” Journal of Behavioural Economics 19(1) [On line] Available: http://sjcpl.lib.in.us/homepage/Ebscohost/EbscoHost.instruct.html [Accessed: 13/12/99].
Epstein, R. (2003) “The Regrettable Necessity of Contingent Valuation.” Journal of Cultural Economics 27: 259–274.
Foster, V. and Mourato, S. (2003) “Elicitation Format and Sensitivity to Scope.” Environmental and Resource Economics 34: 141–160.
Hanemann, W. (1994) “Valuing the Environment Through Contingent Valuation.” Journal of Economic Perspectives 8(4): 19–43.
Hendon, W. (1990). “The General Public’s Participation in Art Museums: Visitors Differ from Non-Visitors, But Not as Markedly as Case Studies Have Indicated.” American Journal of Economics and Sociology 49(4) [On line] Available: http://sjcpl.lib.in.ud/homepage/Ebscohost/EbscoHostinstruct.html [Accessed: 13/12/99] 1–16.
Klein Karoo Nationale Kunstefees Feesgids (2003) 29 March–5 April, Oudtshoon, South Africa.
Mbathat, C. (2003) “Social Capital and Household Questionnaire Biases – A Pilot Study”. Unpublished research paper, Department of Economics, Rhodes University, Grahamstown.
Morrison, W. and West, E. (1986). “Subsidies for the Performing Arts: Evidence of Voter Preference.” Journal of Behavioural Economics 15, Fall: 57–72.
National Arts Festival Programme (2003) 27 June–5 July, Grahamstown, South Africa.
Neville, T. (1999) “More Lasting Than Bronze: A Story of the 1820 Settlers National Monument”. The Natal Witness Printing and Publishing Company, Pietermarizburg.
Noonan, D. (2003) “Contingent Valuation and Cultural Resources: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Literature.” Journal of Cultural Economics 27: 159–176.
Saayman, M. and Saayman, A. (2003) The Economic Impact of the Klein Karoo Nationale Kunste Fees. Potchefstoom University, South Africa.
Seaman, B. (1987) “Arts Impact Studies: A Fashionable Excess,” in Towse R. (ed.) 1997. Cultural Economics: The Arts, the Heritage and the Media Industries, Vol. 2, Edward Elgar. Cheltenham.
Seaman, A. (2003) “Contingent Valuation vs. Economic Impact: Substitutes of Complements?” Paper Delivered at the Regional Science Association International Conference, North American Meetings, Philadelphia.
Sigelman, L. and Zeng, L. (1999) “Analyzing Censored and Sample-Selected Data with Tobit and Heckit Models.” Political Analysis 8(2): 167–182.
Smith, K. (1996) “Do Contingent Valuation Estimates Pass a Scope Test? A Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Environmental Economics and Management 31: 287–301.
Snowball, J. and Antrobus, G. (2001) “Measuring the Value of the Arts to Society: The Importance of Externalities for Lower Income and Education Groups in South Africa.” South Africa Journal of Economics 69: 4.
Snowball, J. and Antrobus, G. (2003) “Economic Impact, Business and Household Surveys at the 2003 National Arts Festival.” Unpublished Paper Funded by the South African National Research Council. Produced at Rhodes University, South Africa.
Statistics South Africa. (2003) “Census in Brief: Census 2001.” [On line] Available: www.stassa.gov.za [Accessed 15/04/04].
Thompson, B., Throsby, D. and Withers, G. (1983) Measuring Community Benefits from the Arts Research paper # 261 School of Economic and Financial Studies, Macquarie University.
Thompson, E., Berger, M., Blomquist, G. and Allen, S. (2003) “Valuing the Arts: A Contingent Valuation Approach.” Journal of Cultural Economics 26: 87–113.
Throsby, D. (1984) “The Measurement of Willingness-to-Pay for Mixed Goods.” Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics 46(4): 279–289.
Throsby, D. (2001) Economics and Culture. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Throsby, D. and O’Shea, M. (1980) “The Regional Economic Impact of the Mildura Arts Centre.” Research Paper Number: 210 School of Economic and Financial Studies, Macquarie University.
Throsby, D. and Withers, G. (1983) “Measuring the Demand for the Arts as a Public Good: Theory and Empirical Results” in Hendon W. and Shanahan J. (eds.), The Economics of Cultural Decisions. Abt Books, Cambridge.
Throsby, D. and Withers, G. (1986) “Strategic Bias and Demand for Public Goods: Theory and Application to the Arts,” in Towse R. (ed.) 1997, Cultural Economics: The Arts, the Heritage and the Media Industries. Vol. 2 Edward Elgar, Cheltenham.
Whitehead, J. and Finney, S. (2003) “Willingness to Pay for Submerged Maritime Cultural Resources.” Journal of Cultural Economics 27: 231–240.
White Paper. (1996) White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage. Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, South [On Line] Available: http://www.polity.org.za/govdocs/white_papers/arts.html [Accessed: 25/11/99] 1–26.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Snowball, J.D. Art for the Masses? Justification for the Public Support of the Arts in Developing Countries – Two Arts Festivals in South Africa. J Cult Econ 29, 107–125 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-005-5064-5
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-005-5064-5