Privatization and Culture: Experiences in the Arts, Heritage and Cultural Industries in Europe

Since the late 1980s privatization has been a feature in the field of culture in Europe. However, the cultural political debate on this issue has been hampered by speculations and prejudices. Many connect the term only with selling public institutions to private firms, and with governments passing on their responsibilities for the arts and culture to the market.
Privatization and Culture is a pioneering venture, confronting fables with facts. It focuses on European experiences in the performing arts (theatre and opera), heritage (museums and built heritage) and cultural industries (film and television broadcasting and the book industry). The result is an up-to-date insight into privatization in the cultural sector and its consequences for cultural policy and development in Europe.
The contributors are academics, practitioners and policy-makers, working in different cultural fields and in different countries. They offer a rich spectrum of concepts, experiences and perspectives.

Booknews

A background paper, three essays on different approaches, and eight case studies peer into the obscure subject. The approaches consider rethinking the state's role, the hybridization of museum and the built heritage, and demonopolizing culture in 23 European countries. Among the case studies are museums in France, opera houses in Italy, film and broadcasting in Hungary, performing arts across Europe, and the British experience of mixing economy and culture. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknew.com)