My approach to teaching cultural economics: Why, how, what?

France has a long tradition of public intervention in the field of art and culture. As a result, there is an important demand for training in cultural economics from private industries, the public sector, and artists themselves, who need to understand the art market, contracts and property right legislations, public regulations, and so on. The author relates that her course on cultural economics differs in content and emphasis depending on whether students are already trained in economics and show the connection between theoretical knowledge and empirical cases. When students are already knowledgeable about economics, the course shows how the tools of general economics may be used to better understand and interpret cultural phenomena, and when students have little knowledge of the basis of economics, the course shows how the economist can help understand the peculiarities of art and cultural economics.