The cultural economy of the city: Pathways to theory and understanding inequality

Abstract

In this chapter a theoretical frame for the cultural economy of the city will be set out, comprising contributions of culture and creativity to the city expressed in enterprise formation, employment opportunities, and local regeneration. For many, cultural work is a satisfying and rewarding experience. But the cultural economy also generates inequality. The cultural labor market resembles a pyramid, with a relatively small number of well-remunerated, élite creatives at the top, and a large base of mostly younger workers at the base, reflecting the occupational structure of cultural activity. An appreciation of these outcomes, together with an understanding of the systems of cultural activity in place, can usefully inform new theoretical enterprise in locating the positionality of culture and creativity in the city.