The moral economy of the cultural sector

Abstract

ABSTRACT The aim of this article is to deepen our understanding of the moral outlook that characterizes cultural organizations as political actors. Through a review of contributions to a public consultation on cultural policy in Norway, we seek to elucidate the moral economy these actors bring to bear on their relations to the state. More specifically, we focus on the actors’ understandings of the state’s moral obligations towards the cultural sector and how these notions relate to the experiences and concerns of cultural organizations. One such experience that surfaces in the public consultation is the strong engagement of members of cultural organizations, while another is a sense of vulnerability and perceived threats to art and culture posed by various forces in society. Against this background, we explore different understandings of the roles and responsibilities of the state in cultural policy that cultural organizations give voice to, noting the dominance of a conception of cultural policy as state patronage. In accordance with this understanding, the obligations of the state are to recognize the unique value and importance of cultural organizations, to provide them with the necessary resources, and to protect them from external threats.