The Economy of Culture – looking back, reflecting forward

The MONDIACULT 2022 Declaration reaffirmed culture as a global public good and called for its full integration into sustainable development strategies. This recognition positions culture not merely as a symbolic asset, but as a vital dimension of inclusive and resilient futures. Yet, despite such momentum, profound contradictions persist in how the economic dimensions of arts, culture, and the cultural and creative sectors and industries (CCSIs) are conceptualized, governed, and experienced.

The emergence of the creative industries paradigm has led to increased investment and institutional backing, giving rise to policy frameworks that often emphasize the instrumental value of culture—positioning artistic and creative practices as catalysts for economic growth, innovation, and urban regeneration. Yet, this dominant discourse frequently overlooks the material realities that underpin cultural production. For many artists, cultural professionals, and creative entrepreneurs, these realities are marked by precarity, informal labour conditions, unequal or insufficient remuneration, and limited access to resources and social protections. Furthermore, ongoing digital and ecological transformations introduce new layers of uncertainty and complexity, challenging the sustainability of cultural work and its economic models.

This Special Issue invites contributions that explore the multifaceted relationship between culture and the economy, recognizing the cultural and creative sector as a complex ecosystem shaped by shifting policy frameworks, labour practices, value systems, and global transformations. Critically examining the relationship between culture and the economy has become essential to imagining fairer and more inclusive cultural futures. How has the economy of culture evolved over time? Should we speak of a singular economy of culture, or rather of multiple, diverse economies of culture? Where do we locate economic dynamics within cultural practices—and culture within economic systems? What alternative models of governance—grounded in solidarity, co-creation, and the principles of the commons—might pave the way for more just and sustainable cultural ecosystems?

This Special Issue welcomes contributions that improve our understanding about the intersections between economic value, cultural labour, and policy. This issue aims to bridge disciplinary perspectives and contribute to both theoretical reflection and policy-oriented analysis. We are particularly interested in contributions that engage critically with new theoretical directions, methodological innovation, literature reviews and multi-case studies from various geographies. Potential areas of interest may include, but are not limited to:

● Culture as global public good
● Artists’ and cultural professionals’ labour markets and fair working conditions, including within digital environments
● Arts and cultural entrepreneurship and innovation, entrepreneurial ecosystems in the CCSIs
● The economy and structure of the CCSIs
● Creative cities, cultural tourism and place-based cultural development in cities and rural areas
● Economics of cultural organizations and initiatives
● Value creation across various stages of the production chain
● Finance and funding models for arts and CCSIs
● Culture in development frameworks (local, regional, international)
● Cultural commons, alternative governance models, and co-creation
● Culture and the social and solidarity economy
● International trade, intellectual property, and the global circulation of culture, especially in a period of technological advancements
● Cultural consumption and audience participation
● Art markets, auctions, and valuation dynamics
● Challenges related to the implementation of the Creative Economy concept within cultural policy

Authors are welcome to submit articles presenting original studies or literature review work. Please consult the journal's information regarding Article Types, Author Guidelines, and Publishing Fees. Please contact the Editorial Office at ejcmp@frontierspartnerships.org for any query concerning this initiative.

Keywords: economy of culture, cultural labour, creative industries policy, culture and economic development, alternative economic models