BETWEEN ART AND ORGANISATION: RETHINKING CULTURAL VALUE THROUGH THE INSTITUTIONAL, ORGANISATIONAL, AND INDIVIDUAL DIMENSIONS OF CONTEMPORARY THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS

This research explores theatrical production processes through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates legal, economic and organisational perspectives, framing theatre not only as an art form but also as a complex professional structure increasingly comparable to organisations beyond the cultural sector.At the same time, theatre's artistic nature implies that its "value" cannot be reduced exclusively to economic terms.Theatre carries intrinsic cultural significance -such as aesthetic, social, educational, and emotional dimensions -that is difficult to capture through measurable variables.Rather than invoking cultural value as an abstract concept merely to support policy arguments, this study aims to raise awareness among policymakers and lawmakers by analysing how cultural value is generated through the collective contributions of all participants in the creative process.Value is therefore interpreted both subjectivelyreflecting the diverse interests and objectives (monetary and non-monetary) of the various stakeholders (such as artists, administrators, funders, audience, etc.) -and relationally, as a product of stakeholder interaction that shapes decision-making processes and governance structures.Investigating the full organisational value chain helps reveal how cultural value is produced throughout the entire process of theatrical creation.Theatrical organisations, often structured in flexible and horizontal ways, integrate artistic aims with managerial needs, offering models that may also provide useful insights for non-cultural sectors.The collective nature of creativity in theatre also invites reflection on copyright law.While protection is generally granted to the artistic contribution of the author-playwright, this study questions whether and how the creative input of other contributors should be recognised and safeguarded, and whether, in some cases, copyright may hinder the broader dissemination of knowledge and artistic expression.To comprehensively understand these dynamics, theatre must be contextualised within the institutional and regulatory frameworks that govern it, especially given its difficulty in achieving financial self-sufficiency and therefore requiring public intervention.viii Moreover, this contribution will examine how the fulfilment of individual needs and personal values is also shaped by the interaction with organisational and institutional dimensions.Stakeholders' well-being, happiness, and self-actualization may emerge as outcomes of an environment that ensures inclusivity, safeguards stakeholders' rights, supports creative freedom, and promotes overall organisational accountability.In conclusion, according to the perspective outlined, theatre should be viewed as a multilayered system in which institutional, organisational, and individual dimensions interact and influence one another, contributing both to artistic production and to a broader understanding of its cultural value.