scholarly journals Artists as cultural intermediaries? Remediating practices of production and consumption

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Hadley

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss findings from an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)-funded research project into the heritage culture of British folk tales. The project investigated how such archival source material might be made relevant to contemporary audience via processes of artistic remediation. The research considered artists as “cultural intermediaries”, i.e. as actors occupying the conceptual space between production and consumption in an artistic process.Design/methodology/approachInterview data is drawn from a range of 1‐2‐1 and group interviews with the artists. These interviews took place throughout the duration of the project.FindingsWhen artists are engaged in a process of remediation which has a distinct arts marketing/audience development focus, they begin to intermediate between themselves and the audience/consumer. Artist perceptions of their role as “professionals of qualification” is determined by the subjective disposition required by the market context in operation at the time (in the case of this project, as commissioned artists working to a brief). Artists’ ability (and indeed willingness) to engage in this process is to a great extent proscribed by their “sense-of-self-as-artist” and an engagement with Romantic ideas of artistic autonomy.Originality/valueA consideration of the relationship between cultural intermediation and both cultural policy and arts marketing. The artist-as-intermediary role, undertaking creative processes to mediate how goods are perceived by others, enables value-adding processes to be undertaken at the point of remediation, rather than at the stage of intermediation.

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (118) ◽  
pp. 69-86
Author(s):  
Anja Mølle Lindelof

The term ‘audience development’ is currently employed in cultural policy and within art institutions in order to address questions concerning cultural participation. It centers on two parallel discussions: On the one hand it addresses participation as a democratic ideal, and on the other hand it frames specific forms of audience engagement and the inherent and diverging understandings of participation.  This article shows how the discourse developed about audience development reduces the discussion to either legitimizing existing cultural policy practice or to strategies for arts marketing, and it suggests that other important perspectives from e.g. performance studies are overlooked in the discussion of art institutions and their current dilemmas. The article presents a model that sums up four parallel discussions unfolding about audience development: cultural practices, aesthetic strategies for interaction, post performance reflections and everyday life. It is argued that all of these four perspectives need to be addressed for audience development to sincerely challenge the prevailing understanding of art institutions and their current dilemmas.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric John Kolhede ◽  
J. Tomas Gomez-Arias

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine market segments within the broader category of occasional patrons of the performing arts. While similarities between these segments exist, important distinctions are also apparent. Design/methodology/approach – The authors surveyed 347 performing arts patrons using a structured questionnaire. Their responses along 28 proposed motivational variables were subjected to factor analysis to reduce their dimensionality and collinearity. Cluster analysis was then applied to respondents’ factor scores to group subjects into homogenous segments for subsequent comparison along variables, including demographic and marketing mix elements. Findings – The authors find six key motivating factors influencing the attendance of performing arts events: personal; promotional; product; distribution; economic; and social motivators. The authors also find that infrequent consumers can be further subsegmented into disinclined and fringe consumers with different levels of performance attendance and dissimilarities in responding to motivators. Research limitations/implications – The survey was conducted in a single county within the San Francisco Bay Area, limiting the generalizability of results. Practical implications – Fringe consumers are more responsive to the personal benefits (e.g. cultural enrichment) derived from the core product offerings of a performance such as programming and quality of the performers. The disinclined segment is more influenced by economic, social, and distribution related elements associated with a performing arts event such as pricing, the accessibility (or convenience) of the venue, and the opportunity to socialize accompanying attendance. Social implications – The practice of relationship marketing by small local performing arts organizations (PAOs) has been emphasized and often advocated by researches in the most recent literature. In order to ensure the viability of PAOs beyond the short-term, further examination of audience development is imperative. This paper indeed places more attention on audience development with a particular focus on expanding audiences among subsegments of infrequent performing arts consumers. Originality/value – The central purpose of this research is to arrive at comprehensive profiles of subsegments within a group of infrequent arts patrons, along with viable differentiated marketing program and positioning approaches that would appeal to each of these consumer categories. Consequently, the authors address a significant gap in the performing arts marketing literature as few recent studies appear to have been structured to allow for the possibility of producing adequate subsegmentation information within a group of occasional performing arts patrons. Secondarily, this study also answers a call for future research to examine the internet as a channel of promotion for arts consumers.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Guachalla

Purpose This paper aims to identify the factors that foster an interest in opera and Opera Houses as a specific form of cultural capital and how the Opera House tourist constructs images of destinations from the cognitive, affective and conative dimensions. Design/methodology/approach A social constructivist methodology was adopted, and data was captured through online qualitative questionnaires from 226 Opera House tourists using a simple random sampling approach. These enquired about the development of their interest in opera and Opera Houses and the influence this exerts on their destination image formation process. Findings This form of cultural capital is mainly developed by exposure to art forms through family, social and further reference groups. Opera Houses project cognitive images of cosmopolitanism, affective images of social belonging and conative images of further opportunities to experience culture and leisure fostering destination loyalty and place attachment. Research limitations Productions of both opera and ballet are staged at Opera Houses, opening avenues for further research on either the opera or ballet tourist markets specifically using case studies across the ample spectrum of Opera Houses around the world. Practical implications In addition to the visual appeal and quality of cultural produce, tourism practitioners can use an Opera House’s projected affective images of social cohesion and togetherness to attract the Opera House tourist market. Opera Houses enrich a destination’s visual and cultural landscapes, cementing the need to preserve and promote their contributions to the destination’s cultural identity. Social implications This study highlights the need for cultural policy and audience development strategies that cultivate this type of cultural capital resulting in demand for and supply of cultural products that in turn stimulate the development of this niche cultural tourism market segment. Originality/value To the best of author’s knowledge, this is the first study that has approached the Opera House tourist from the destination image formation context.


2021 ◽  
pp. 136754942110086
Author(s):  
Paulo Nunes ◽  
Carolyn Birdsall

In recent years, music festivals have grown in significance within local cultural policy, city branding and tourism agendas. Taking the Mexefest festival in Lisbon as a case in point, this article asks how, in the digital streaming era, music festivals in urban environments are framed, curated and experienced. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, our analysis examines how music festival programmers curate the urban festival experience, for both locals and tourists alike. First, we identify the emergence of urban music festivals in recent decades, and how modern festival programmes have adopted the cultural technique of the ‘shuffle mode’ as an influential principle. Second, we investigate the work of festival programmers through the lens of ‘cultural intermediaries’, and ask how their programming strategies, particularly through digital mobile media (such as music playlists), contribute to an aestheticised experience of the city during the festival. Third, we focus on how the Mexefest festival events are staged in tandem with brand activation by sponsors like mobile phone company Vodafone and their radio station Vodafone FM. In doing so, we highlight the participation of festival-goers through their embodied engagements with digital media, music listening and urban space, and evaluate the heuristic value of ‘shuffle curation’ as a tool for the understanding of music festivals as a distinctly global and networked form of leisure consumption in urban culture.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Pitts ◽  
Jonathan Gross

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the usefulness of the “audience exchange” approach for audience development and research, and to highlight the insights offered by peer-to-peer dialogue in understanding experiences of unfamiliar arts. Design/methodology/approach Using a case study with contemporary arts audiences, and setting this in the wider context of studies with other first-time attenders at a range of arts events, the paper explores the use of the “audience exchange” method, in which facilitated conversations after performance events allow newcomers to reflect upon and deepen their first-time encounters with live arts. Findings The study demonstrates the way in which conversations about arts events can enrich audience experience, and shows how participants use exploratory and emotional language to articulate their understanding of unfamiliar arts events. Peer-to-peer learning occurs through these conversations, in ways that could be further supported by arts organisations as a valuable tool for audience development. The audience exchange discussions also reveal the varieties of participation from “drifting” to full attention that are all part of audience engagement. Research limitations/implications This is a small-scale, qualitative study, and the method has potential to be tested in future studies with a greater variety of participants (e.g. younger or more ethnically diverse groups). Practical implications Use of the audience exchange for enriching experiences of first-time attendance could be adopted by arts organisations as a regular part of their audience engagement. Greater understanding of how new audience members draw on prior cultural experiences in finding the language to articulate their first impressions of an unfamiliar arts event could be valuable for targeted marketing and increasing accessibility. Originality/value The originality of this study lies in its elaboration of the audience exchange method, and its focus on the language and peer-to-peer learning evident in the facilitated post-performance discussions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 1363-1379
Author(s):  
Vishal Gupta

PurposeIntegrating the behavioral theory of leadership, the componential theory of creativity and the self-determination theory (SDT), the study tests the relationships between leadership, work motivation (intrinsic motivation, integrated extrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation) and employee-level innovation (innovative work behavior and innovation outcomes) in a work setting.Design/methodology/approachData were collected using a survey questionnaire from 493 scientists working in India's largest civilian research and development (R&D) organization. The structural equation modeling (SEM) method was used to test the hypothesized relationships between the study variables.FindingsThe study found evidence for positive relationships between leadership, employee autonomous motivation (intrinsic and integrated extrinsic motivation) and employee-level innovation. The study shows that extrinsic motivation is positively related to innovation only when the value of rewards is integrated to one's sense of self (integrated extrinsic motivation). Extrinsic motivation, otherwise, is not related to innovation.Research limitationsThe study was cross-sectional, so inferences about causality are limited.Practical implicationsFirst, while extrinsic motivation is considered bad for innovation, the study provides evidence that integrated extrinsic motivation complements intrinsic motivation and encourages employee-level innovation. Second, the study shows that leaders can aid the process of development of autonomous motivation by displaying positive behaviors. Third, the study validates the mediating role of autonomous motivation for the leadership–innovation relationship.Originality/valueThe study provides an insight into the underlying process through which leaders can impact innovation at the workplace. To the best of the author's knowledge, such a study is the first of its kind undertaken in an organizational context.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 394-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clifford G. Hurst

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to expand the recent lines of inquiry into entrepreneurial cognition by focusing on the structure of values as an important aspect of cognition. Value theory, or axiology, posits that the capacity to value and to make value judgments is a distinctly human function – one that is a higher order process than is pure cognition alone. Design/methodology/approach This study is designed as a quantitative discovery. A well-established assessment instrument from the field of value science is used to measure deep-seated, evaluative thought patterns for a sample of founders of early stage startups and a comparative sample of senior managers. Value structures underlying cognition for individuals across these samples are compared to reveal both similarities and differences between the groups. Findings This study identifies a cognitive process underlying opportunity recognition, evaluation and exploitation, known as integration. This study finds that entrepreneurs have stronger capacities for integrative thinking than do managers. In contrast to other published research, this study finds that early stage entrepreneurs are not characterized by hubris, an inflated sense of self-efficacy, nor an exceptional capacity for action. Originality/value This paper extends the study of entrepreneurial cognition by applying an empirical measure of the foundational levels of cognition. It reveals heretofore unarticulated differences, as well as similarities, between entrepreneurs and managers.


2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa S. McNeill

Purpose An individual’s identity is defined in the role that they devise for themselves, based on social positions. Examining identity motives can help in understanding what influences one to take on a particular role. Self-esteem is one of the major motivational drivers in determining the role that an individual takes on. Individuals, through self-presentation, are said to be motivated to control the impressions others form of them. In this way, self-concept and fashion innovativeness are linked – with prior research suggesting that those with high levels of fashion innovativeness are also those with a strong sense of self. Where a gap remains, however, in exploring the direction of the relationship between self-concept and being more innovative and fashionable in clothing choices, as well as how individuals reflexively judge their own fashion choices against their perception of others – e.g. can you force yourself to be a fashion leader? The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This study takes a lived experience approach to examine fashion as a tool in establishing social hierarchies amongst women. The study uses depth interviews with ten women to explore the developed self-concept of women actively engaged with fashion consumption. Findings The research presents a typology of fashion identities, exploring notions of security, dominance and innovativeness in self-fashioning using clothing. Research limitations/implications The research is exploratory, and limited to a sample of ten women. However, the study offers a number of key findings to drive future research in this area. Practical implications The research finds that both security of self-concept, in relation to fashion and general self-esteem, as well as insecurity, can motivate women towards fashion independence. This suggests that identity-based marketing is likely to be more successful than lifestyle-based marketing, when selling women’s fashion clothing. Social implications In prior research, self-concept and fashion innovativeness are linked – with prior research suggesting that those with high levels of fashion innovativeness are also those with a strong sense of self. This study finds that those with an insecure sense of self may also exhibit fashion independence, using fashion to acquire social capital. Originality/value This paper illustrates the concept that, unlike previous notions of fashion independence and engagement with fashion, these fashion-involved categorisations of behaviour are not always driven by sophistication, confidence, creativity and low fear of risk. Instead, this study has shown that fashion innovativeness can be motivated by an overarching fear of the outcomes of being judged unfashionable.


2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 1037-1058
Author(s):  
Greg Richards

Purpose This paper aims to analyse the development of research on gastronomic tourism experiences and chart its relationship to foundational management and marketing literature as well as the tourism and hospitality field. Design/methodology/approach The author develops a literature review of papers in specialist journals and the SCOPUS database to identify major research themes and the evolution of experience and gastronomic experience research. Findings Gastronomy is an increasingly important element of tourism experiences. Gastronomic experience research in tourism mirrors the evolution in management and marketing theory from rational information processing approaches to emotional and hedonistic approaches and analysis of relationality and co-creation. The paper sketches a development from Experience 1.0 (producer-orientated) to Experience 2.0 (co-creation) to Experience 3.0 (foodscapes) in gastronomic experiences in tourism research. Research limitations/implications Increasing complexity of gastronomic experiences requires a more holistic analytic approach, including more attention for relational and co-creational processes. Linking together different experience elements and experience phases requires more holistic and contextual research approaches. Practical implications Hospitality organizations should recognize the differentiated and complex nature of gastronomic experiences, the different touchpoints within the customer journey and their relationship to experience outcomes. The development of hybrid gastronomic experiences offers both opportunities and challenges for the future. Originality/value This quantitative and qualitative literature analysis underlines the need for a more holistic approach to gastronomic experiences, covering different experiential phases and contexts of production and consumption.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Hutton ◽  
Charlotte Lystor

Purpose This paper focuses on the analytical importance of voice and the value of listening and representing voices in private contexts. It highlights the under-theorised position of relationality in family research. The paper introduces the listening guide as a unique analytical approach to sharpen researchers’ understanding of private experiences and articulations. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual and technical paper. It problematises voice, authority and analytical representation in the private location of family and examines how relational dynamics interact with the subtleties of voice in research. It also provides a practical illustration of the listening guide detailing how researchers can use this analytical approach. Findings The paper illustrates how the listening guide works as an analytical method, structured around four stages and applied to interview transcript excerpts. Practical implications The listening guide bridges private and public knowledge-making, by identifying competing voices and recognises relations of power in family research. It provides qualitative market researchers with an analytical tool to hear changes and continuities in participants’ sense of self over time. Social implications The paper highlights how peripheral voices and silence can be analytically surfaced in private domains. A variety of studies and data can be explored with this approach, however, research questions involving vulnerable or marginal experiences are particularly suitable. Originality/value The paper presents the listening guide as a novel analytic method for researching family life – one, which recovers the importance of voice and serves as a means to address the lack of debate on voice and authority in qualitative market research. It also highlights the under-theorised position of relationality in tracing the multiple subjectivities of research participants. It interrupts conventional qualitative analysis methods, directing attention away from conventional coding and towards listening as an alternative route to knowledge.


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