Value drivers for cultural events. Empirical evidences from Italy

Cultural industries present some unique features, mainly due to the complexity and specificity of its outputs. We state that these unique features affect both the concept of created value and the types of value drivers involved. The focus of the research is on cultural industries’ events, due to the increasing relevance events have acquired in the last years as specific outcomes in these industries. We suggest that cultural events’ value dimensions and drivers are multi-faceted concepts, particularly complex as they regard both the actors involved in production and consumption and the urban settings in which production and consumption occur. Through the analysis of three Italian cultural events we propose a theoretical framework identifying four value dimensions – economic, social, intellectual and symbolic – and four specific value drivers – crossectionality, ‘being rooted into’, ‘being innovative’ and coopetition.