Combining an economic perspective with sociological and historic insights, this book investigates the separation of popular and serious art over a period of almost two centuries. As the boundaries between our perceptions of established art and popular become more porous, Abbing considers questions such as: Who benefitted from the separation? Why is exclusivity in the established arts so important? Did exclusivity lead to high cost, high subsidies and high prices? Were and are underprivileged groups excluded from art consumption and production? How did popular music become so successful in the second half of the twentieth century? Why does the art profession remain extraordinarily attractive for youngsters in spite of low incomes? The book also discusses the evolution of art in the twenty-first century, considering for example how the platform economy affects the arts, whether or not the established arts are joining the entertainment industry, and the current level of diversity in art. Written from the dual perspective of the author as an artist and social scientist, the book will be of interest for cultural economists and academics as well as artists and general readers interested in art.

Hans Abbing is a visual artist and economist. He is also Emeritus Professor in Art Sociology at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and teaches MA Cultural Economics and Cultural Entrepreneurship at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. He previously publishedThe Changing Social Economy of ArtandWhy Are Artists Poor?