Spatiotemporal analysis of Polish municipal budget expenditure on selected categories of cultural institutions in the years 2003 to 2016
Spatiotemporal analysis of Polish municipal budget expenditure on selected categories of cultural institutions in the years 2003 to 2016

Summary/Abstract: Objectives: The main aim of the article is to analyse changes in spending on culture with regard to four selected groups:libraries, community cultural centres, heritage and monument protection, and others in the years 2003 to 2016. Thisarticle also looks at the sum of municipal budgets in individual provinces.Research Design and Methods: For the selected years, location quotients (LQ) were used to show the spatial diversityof cultural expenditure in the municipalities of particular voivodships. To illustrate the diversity of municipal expenditureon culture in particular years of the analysis was made using a dynamic modification of Knudsen’s regression modelof share transfers proposed by Berzeg (the SSANOVA model).Findings: The increase in the share of cultural expenditure followed by a decline thereof may indicate that in 2011–2014 the municipalities in Poland made significant expenditure on culture, which could have been aimed at improvingboth hard and soft cultural infrastructure. Analysis using the Knudsen model revealed a disturbing tendency to decreasethe share of municipal expenditure devoted to culture in total expenditureImplications/Recommendations: The fact that the majority of municipalities in Poland in the analysed period devoteda higher share of expenditure to cultural purposes than average spending of this type for Poland may indicate a changein the approach of local authorities to the culture as a potential factor for the development of a municipality, ratherthan unnecessary budget expenditure. The downward trend in the share of cultural expenditure of municipalitiesin their total expenditure may, though not necessarily does, indicate a change in the direction of cultural policy of localgovernments in Poland.Contribution/Value Added: This approach opens new possibilities for analysing cultural expenditure from local budgets,as well as local cultural policies and the effectiveness of public finances.Article classification: research article

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