Author: Orend, Richard J.

Publication Year: 1976

Media Type: Report

Summary:

I believe it is appropriate to discuss in a more general way the criteria which might be applied in evaluating research projects on the artistic and cultural consumer. My intention is to highlight issues central to the development of a rudimentary model of the research development process which can serve as a guide for both designing and evaluating future research projects.

Abstract:

I believe it is appropriate to discuss in a more general way the criteria which might be applied in evaluating research projects on the artistic and cultural consumer. My intention is to highlight issues central to the development of a rudimentary model of the research development process which can serve as a guide for both designing and evaluating future research projects. With respect to designing and evaluating research on the artistic and cultural consumer, a key question concerns the role of arts agencies, such as the National Endowment for the Arts. Specifically, what role does the agency intend to play in the creation of demand for the arts?

Will the agency facilitate existing popular culture, e.g., promote more situation comedies on TV, or create new demand by educating the public regarding the traditional high cultural institutions in the society or some combination of the two? The particular goal of the agency will affect the selection of research issues. Thus, an agency with the goal of giving people what they want will focus on general desires in its research and on promoting those desires in its policy decisions. An agency which seeks to preserve traditional high culture institutions will seek research projects which provide support for this goal. Unless the agency first considers its goals, it may initiate research with no prior indication of the potential usefulness of research outcomes. There are also problems for the researchers, who must either substitute their own goals or guess the intentions of the sponsoring agency. (p. 10).

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Participation