HOW ART, IDENTITY, AND INEQUALITY INTERSECT IN MODERN ECONOMIES

This article examines the intersection of art, identity, and inequality in modern economies, arguing that cultural production is deeply embedded within broader structures of economic power. Drawing on interdisciplinary literature from cultural economics, sociology, and political economy, the study analyzes how artistic value is socially constructed through markets, institutions, and symbolic recognition. The findings highlight persistent inequalities in access to cultural resources, visibility, and income, shaped by class, race, gender, and geography. While digital platforms and creative industries have expanded opportunities for participation, they have also intensified precarity and winner-take-all dynamics. The article further explores how recognition-based approaches to cultural inclusion often fail to address material disparities, limiting their transformative potential. By situating art within the political economy of inequality, the study emphasizes the need for institutional reform, redistributive policies, and alternative valuation frameworks that treat art as a public good rather than solely a market commodity.