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The Democratization of Art: A contextual approach

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-18, 01:23 authored by Kate BoothKate Booth
© 2014, © Visitor Studies Association. Publicly funded museums and art galleries have been called upon to demonstrate their worth as nodes of social inclusion and facilitators of social change. Flagship galleries have been constructed to foster urban regeneration in part aimed at social inclusivity and transformation. A new museology has emerged that is perceived to be intrinsically more democratic for visitors. This focus on the democratization of art in academia and cultural policy is not matched by a focus on robust empirical research. There are few studies that demonstrate successful democratization and little work that considers methodological issues. This article responds to critiques leveled at three conceptions of the democratization of art to develop a fourth conception—the contextual approach. I argue that collecting visitor sociodemographic data is meaningful only in the context of an institution's social construction and the role of art in the everyday lives of visitors and nonvisitors. Understanding that a good life is possible without engagement with high culture must be part of a democratization agenda.

History

Publication title

Visitor Studies: theory, research, and practice

Volume

17

Pagination

207-221

ISSN

1064-5578

Department/School

School of Social Sciences

Publisher

Routledge

Place of publication

United States

Rights statement

Copyright 2014 Visitor Studies Association

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Expanding knowledge in human society

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