ABSTRACT
The art world as a whole, and museums in particular, belong to what has aptly been called ‘the consciousness industry’. Artists as much as their galleries, museums and journalists, not excluding art historians, hesitate to discuss the industrial aspect of their activities. Traditionally, however, the old-timers are shy in admitting to themselves and others the industrial character of their activities and most do not view themselves as managers. Responding to a realistic appraisal of their lot, even artists are acquiring managerial training in workshops funded by public agencies in the United States. Every museum is perforce a political institution, no matter whether it is privately run or maintained and supervised by governmental agencies. Museums used to be maintained either by public agencies - the tradition in Europe - or through donations from private individuals and philanthropic organizations, as has been the pattern in the United States.
