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 lifeEconomic 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

2.6% German gross value added in bn €, Source: Söndermann 2009 Relative sizes of economic sectors in terms of Euro-measured added value, Germany % 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 Art objects Fiction books Music Theater Architecture Design Film/Video Calculation based on Söndermann 2009

Creative Industry Products Creative Economy Artworks and creative industry products drive the economy by 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 Products use 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

Attitudes Artworks change attitudes towards consumption Instructions for a „commercial society“: Hogarth 1732 Codification of new consumption cultures: Beatles 1963

Perceptions alter the ability to make and use visual products Convention of singular space 1427 Convention of fragmented space 1906 Convention of mixed cultural spaces 2004

Effects of Linear Perspective on Space Perception Products Masaccio, 1427 Le Notre, 1688 Bosse, 1643 Besson, 1578 Sixtus V, 1585

Perceptions alter 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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