ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the various ways that heritage, either alone or in combination with the arts in general, is used as part of economic development policies. It focuses on ideas of efficiency and the place of cultural organizations and performances within other national political and economic objectives. Such a shift in approach is broadly reflected in many other western countries. Mossetto economist argues that although past economic activity may have produced art as a by-product through the use of surplus profit for conspicuous merit consumption, the cultural stock is unlikely to be replenished as a result of its current economic use. At a local level in most European countries, responsibility for aspects of heritage, including building and area conservation, museums, archives, local history, arts and traditional crafts, is generally split fairly arbitrarily between a selection of political portfolios and administrative departments of planning and development control, culture, education, leisure and recreation, tourism and economic development, and marketing or promotion.
