Distribution of the arts: British arts centres as 'gatekeepers' in intersecting cultural production systems

Building on work in 'production of culture' research, this paper highlights the distributive aspect of the arts and culture, a phase of cultural production relatively under-researched compared with the phases of creation and consumption. The paper examines how programmers make decisions on what artistic products to present at arts centres in the UK. The paper argues that because arts programmers need to book products whose artistic and financial success is difficult to predict, they employ various strategies to routinise programme planning and optimise predictability of outcome. Using personal contact developed with a range of arts professionals is one of the most important strategies. Arts programming thus can be seen as collective action (Becker, 1982) between programmers, promoters and agents, officers of funding bodies and producing arts organisations who are meshed in various networks and circles to share values and opinions on artistic standards. Expanding on Hirsch (1972), the paper explores arts programming at a more institutional level. It argues that since arts centres rely on the supply from external producers, programming operates in a variety of cultural production systems pertaining to different arts sectors in which non-profit and for-profit enterprises, government and other public authorities interact. © 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.