Audiences and the Arts

What do we mean when we talk about the Arts? Culture? Communication? Audiences? The authors in this book question the usual assumptions about these concepts and their relationships and offer a diversity of perspectives in the process. Among the highlights of the book are: arguments for new ways of thinking about arts and cultural policy; considerations of John Dewey's notion of 'art as experience'; reflections on the potential of museums as spaces for meaning-making; case study examples of active engagement with audiences of the performing arts; critiques of current practices in arts marketing; explorations of the distinctions between the arts and popular culture as well as between informal and formal arts practices; essays that zero in on the gap between arts institutions and the everyday lives of audience members; discussions of the importance of the arts for personal identity and expression; analyses of composition and performance from communication perspectives; and, discussions relevant to fundamental issues relating to communication with audiences and users in any context via any direct or mediated means. This is an excellent book for cultural policymakers, arts educators, arts administrators, cultural writers, advanced undergraduate and graduate students, art-makers of every kind, supporters of the arts, volunteers, and anyone interested in the role of the arts and culture in society. The book is also relevant to any practitioner, researcher, or student focusing on issues regarding communication, public relations, and public information to audiences and users in any context.