When Auckland mayor Wayne Brown said in 2022 that the Auckland Art Gallery had the foot traffic of a corner dairy and cast the institution as an , he conceded he was at risk of “being seen as something of a philistine”. But the mayor’s comments also highlighted a very real challenge. How can New Zealand cultural organisations secure their future when the value of art and culture is seen through the economic lens of profit? And does an overemphasis on profit make cultural groups wary of market and strategy, hampering innovation in the art and culture sector? proposes a concept we call “generative coexistence”.
We suggest that when market approaches are integrated thoughtfully, market forces and cultural missions can work together and enable each other. Why the market vs. culture debate is changing For years, cultural organisations were shielded from the market by state funding.
But while government support remained relatively consistent, there was . With each budget round being akin to a lottery, are becoming louder. The 2024 budget included significant .
Cultural organisations were expected to find new ways to stay viable. However, as art institutions turn to practices like sponsorship, ticketed events and merchandising to boost revenue, there’s understandable concern about a potential loss of artistic integrity. Yet, market principles and cultural values can be aligned.
In 2023, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra launched a digital platform, NZSO+, to stream perf.
