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For What It's Worth

Michael Rushton on pricing the arts

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Why does the Indianapolis Museum of Art have Free Admission?

March 4, 2013 by Michael Rushton 3 Comments

free love

Preamble: I know what I don't know. Specifically, when looking at any arts organization and its menu of prices, I do not have insider knowledge of its current or potential audience, its donors, or its costs. So when I comment on the price structure of any specific museum or other arts firm, I do so only by asking questions, not by advising what it should or should not change. And with that cleared up ... Why does the Indianapolis Museum of Art have free admission? In her neighboring blog, Judith Dobrzynski describes the fiscal troubles at … [Read more...]

Michael Rushton

Michael Rushton taught in the Arts Administration programs at Indiana University, and lives in Bloomington. An economist by training, he has published widely on such topics as public funding of the … MORE

About For What It’s Worth

What’s the price? Everything has one; admission, subscriptions, memberships, special exhibitions, box seats, refreshments, souvenirs, and on and on – a full menu. What the price is matters. Generally, nonprofit arts organizations in the US receive about half of their revenue as “earned income,” and … [Read More...]

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Recent Comments

  • antonio c. cuyler on Should there be a tax deduction for donating to the nonprofit arts?: “Hello, Michael, I appreciate the consistency in your responses. We interpret the policy differently based on our biases and subjectivities.…” Mar 20, 10:07
  • Michael Rushton on Should there be a tax deduction for donating to the nonprofit arts?: “Hello Antonio, I appreciate your comments. I’ll tackle your questions in order. First, here is the IRS: “It has long…” Mar 15, 13:46
  • antonio c. cuyler on Should there be a tax deduction for donating to the nonprofit arts?: “I appreciate the systematic simplicity of your analysis, Michael. I take it that you believe conserving the system, with a…” Mar 15, 08:21
  • antonio c. cuyler on Equality, the arts, and the problem of expensive tastes: “I applaud your courage in dissenting, Michael, even if it may place you at odds with the sector. I also…” Feb 2, 10:57
  • Michael Rushton on Equality, the arts, and the problem of expensive tastes: “Thank you David. In terms of costs, the quick, and I think too-easy answer, is cost-disease, which affects any sector,…” Feb 1, 15:04
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