Beyond Utility: Rethinking the Value of Culture in Public Policy
Fabrizio Panozzo, in an opinion article for Artribune, questions the widely accepted notion that culture serves as a reliable catalyst for development, asserting that it is not backed by robust research and is influenced by the political narratives of UNESCO, the European Commission, and the Council of Europe. He associates the idea of 'useful culture' with the New Public Management reforms of the past three decades, which prioritized quantifiable results and resulted in the outsourcing of cultural services. This transition has weakened public institutions' capacity to analyze cultural issues and formulate independent strategies. Panozzo criticizes the prevailing evaluation culture that demands measurable results, comparing culture's position to that of a servant in Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale,' while promoting the need for cultural independence and unpredictability.
Key facts
- Fabrizio Panozzo authored the opinion piece on Artribune.
- The article critiques the assumption that culture's value as a development lever is established.
- Panozzo argues that the 'useful culture' discourse was constructed by institutions like UNESCO, European Commission, and Council of Europe.
- The concept of 'useful culture' is linked to New Public Management and neoliberal policies.
- Outsourcing of cultural services has weakened public administration's direct knowledge and policy-making capacity.
- Evaluation and performance metrics dominate cultural policy, limiting unpredictable outcomes.
- Panozzo draws an analogy with Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale' to illustrate culture's controlled but potentially autonomous role.
- The article suggests that culture can exceed its assigned function and influence policy directions.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- UNESCO
- European Commission
- Council of Europe
- Artribune