European inventory of
societal values of culture

AMATEURISM

Despite coming in and out of fashion within the dominant policy discourse, amateurism has been present since the early days of cultural policy. Amateurs are those who enjoy and practice a certain skill or activity without being remunerated for it and often without being formally educated about it. In many instances, amateurs open new artistic and cultural disciplines before they become professionalised. Early radio amateurs and computer amateurs played an important role in science and technology, and the same holds true for amateurs in sports. In the cultural field, early photographers were also amateurs; early amateur theatre clubs served as the ground for the first theatrical institutions; owners of Wunderkammers and early heritage collectors were amateurs; even early cultural managers were amateurs in the sense that they were practicing their skills without formal qualifications and without financial interests. Hence, the importance of amateurs in the arts and culture is immense.

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Leadbeater & Miller - The Pro-Am Revolution

Leadbeater, C., & Miller, P. (2004) The Pro-Am Revolution: How enthusiasts are changing our economy and society. London: DEMOS.

Delwiche & Henderson - The participatory cultures handbook

A. Delwiche & J. Henderson, (eds.) (2013). The participatory cultures handbook. New York: Routledge. ISBN 9780415506090

Brabham - The Myth of Amateur Crowds

Daren C. Brabham, D.C. (2012) The myth of amateur crowds: a critical discourse analysis of crowdsourcing coverage. Information, Communication & Society, 15 (3): 394-410.

Ebrey - The mundane and insignificant, the ordinary and the extraordinary

Ebrey, J. (2016). The mundane and insignificant, the ordinary and the extraordinary: Understanding Everyday Participation and theories of everyday life. Cultural trends, 25(3): 58-168.

Miles & Gibson - Everyday participation and cultural value

Miles, A. & Gibson, L. (Eds.) (2016). Everyday participation and cultural value. Special Issue Cultural Trends 25(3).

Amateurism Across the Arts Conference

Amateurism Across the Arts Conference

Amateurs and professionals

Amateurs and professionals

Claire Bishop: Is Everyone a Performer?

Claire Bishop: Is Everyone a Performer?

Cvetičanin, Petrić & Koludrović - Towards a social turn in cultural policy: A policymaker’s guidebook

Cvetičanin, P.,  M. Petrić & I. Tomić Koludrović (2023). Towards a social turn in cultural policy: A policymaker’s guidebook. INVENT publication.

INVENT Policy Brief I

Janssen, S., Katz-Gerro, T., Rössel, J., Cvetičanin, P.  & M. Verboord (2021). INVENT Policy Brief I. 16 pages.

Tomka – Spaces for culture at urban peripheries: The case of culture stations and Novi Sad European Capital of Culture 2022

Tomka, G. (2023). Spaces for culture at urban peripheries: The case of culture stations and Novi Sad European Capital of Culture 2022