The Art of Measuring the Arts

Abstract

The transition to postindustrialism is marked by increasing political concern for the quality of life. The arts, an important determinant of the quality of life, are af fected by this transition in the following ways: growth of mass participation in cultural activities; elaboration of the institu tional framework of the arts; formation of a "culture lobby"; and politicalization. Decision-makers in government, busi ness, research, and education must begin to take into account, as one entry in their cost-benefit ledgers, the cultural conse quences of their actions. A cultural data system is needed to provide information for rational policy-making in the cultural field and to assist those outside the field in under standing their impact on it. A tentative model is constructed to facilitate the monitoring of qualitative, as well as quantita tive, changes in the arts in contemporary society. Fifteen variables are suggested, which, taken together, comprise an index of the state of health of a nation's culture. Ways are proposed by which changes in these variables can be statisti cally measured.