Art for Art's Sake or Art for Business Sake: An exploration of artistic product orientation

Citation

Fillis I (2006) Art for Art's Sake or Art for Business Sake: An exploration of artistic product orientation. Marketing Review, 6 (1), pp. 29-40. https://doi.org/10.1362/146934706776861573

Abstract
Market orientation has received a large amount of attention in the marketing literature but product centred marketing has largely been ignored. Many studies have found that market orientation is positively linked with improved performance but others have shown that the relationship is tentative at best. The arts have long been a domain where product and artist centred marketing have been practiced successfully. This paper explores the debate surrounding the art for art's sake versus art for business sake philosophies found within the industry, with particular emphasis on the visual arts. Drawing on Hirschman's seminal 1983 paper on artistic ideology and aesthetics, the paper considers the merits and implications of being prepared to ignore market demand and customer wishes. Although many of the issues are specific to the arts, there are also lessons for the wider marketing community of researchers and practitioners.

Journal
Marketing Review: Volume 6, Issue 1