Why do similarly talented creators follow such different career paths? We develop an economic framework in which psychological capital shapes the perceived cost of creative effort. Because this stock accumulates…
What is a gift’s true price? By analyzing thousands of paintings given as gifts, I put a number on the social value of art. I uncover a gift discount due…
Cultural goods carry economic and identity value and are therefore subject to strict regulation. Yet their illicit trade is a global phenomenon, historically linked to colonial dynamics and the financing…
Debates about generative AI and creative work often collapse into a single substitution story. If systems can draft, compose, and edit at near zero marginal cost, should artists be expected…
There’s something ironic about street performers, who’ve spent centuries perfecting the psychology of the donation in a hat, now having to master QR codes and digital payment interfaces. Our research,…
The study investigates how organization and governance models shape museums’ behaviour. It show that the Italian Reform of museums, granting organizational and financial autonomy to selected museums, has provided effective…
The article models and analyses the impact of between-country asymmetric globalization in popular cultural activities (music, films, TV series and programmes) on inequality at the top of the income ladder….
What if a woman composer’s visibility hinges not on which work is performed, but on who shares the program with her? Our research shows performing a woman composer alongside a…
From Bologna to Trento, Florence to Naples, Italian cities have long embodied the coexistence of intellectual and cultural life. Universities and cultural institutions often share the same streets, public spaces,…
We identify the causal impact of 18app, a universal cultural voucher for 18-year-olds introduced in Italy with the aim of fostering cultural participation. The policy boosts participation, especially among disadvantaged…
The chapter, published by Elsevier in the book Women’s Entrepreneurship and the Sustainable Development Goals, starts from a simple question: If you care about gender equality and the SDGs, is…
Dear ETA readers! As 2025 draws to a close, we’re taking a moment to look back at an incredible year of research and insights shared right here on the blog….
Imagination is a requisite for innovation that is rarely acknowledged by innovation economists. Artistic imagination provides an empirical toehold for testing whether the richness of nonrational thought processes fuels innovation….
What if lyrics shape a song’s success more than we realize? Analyzing 176 entries from the Bundesvision Song Contest, this study reveals how emotional arcs in lyrics—especially darker ones—independently influence…
This article looks at how people with disabilities experience arts centers. Based on a large visitor survey, it shows that while barriers still exist, cultural participation can be deeply rewarding….
What happens when publicly funded art sparks outrage? Throughout history, scandals have raised the same question: should governments censor or defund offensive culture? Our study uncovers four distinct public opinion…