Evolution, trends, and narratives of cultural crowdfunding: the case of Norway

Figures & data

Figure 1. Throsby’s (2008) concentric circles model.

Source: Elaborated by the authors inspired by the UNESCO Creative Economy Report (2013, 23).

Table 1. Final codes for analyzing the CCCF frames in project descriptions.

Frame	Codes	Definition
Sentiment	Rational	The project description is evidence-based and presents facts and figures
	Emotional	The project description is filled with emotional language, evoking feelings along it
Goal	Artistic experimentation	The project description emphasizes artistic creation based on experimentation, novelty, and uniqueness
	Artistic production	The project description focuses on the product itself, describing it as a relevant production to the creator’s career
	Co-creation	The project description highlights possibility of creative collaboration with backers
	Distribution	The project addresses the aim of distributing the cultural-creative product
	Financing	The project description focuses on the necessity of raising funds to realize the project (totally or partially)
	Event	The project description is about a specific event presenting some sort of experience to the backers
	Societal contribution	The project description addresses the aim of making society better off
	Survival	The project description addresses the hardships of being an artist (especially related to Covid-19)
Impact	Artist	The project description names the benefits of that initiative to the creator (e.g. career’s progress)
	Artist community	The project description names the benefits of that initiative to the cultural-creative peers
	Consumers	The project description names the benefits to the backers/consumers when supporting/buying the product
	Environmental	The project description names the benefits to the environment/to a more sustainable future
	Local community	The project description names the benefits of that initiative to the local community where the project will take place
	Society	The project description names the benefits of that initiative to the whole society
Attribution	Artistic freedom	The project attributes the reason of seeking CF to the possibility that it gives artistic freedom, not having to respond to any authorities/traditional intermediaries
	Audience creation	The project attributes the reason of seeking CF to the possibility of reaching new audiences
	Covid-19	The project attributes the reason of seeking CF to the hardships of Covid-19
	Lack of finance	The project attributes the reason of seeking CF to the complexity of acquiring finance within the culture sector
	Market need	The project attributes the reason of seeking CF to the recognition of a gap in the market
	Product sales	The project attributes the reason of seeking CF as a parallel of e-commerce/retail platform
Valence	Positive	The project includes positive emotions and gain-inducing language with hope and feasibility
	Negative	The project includes negative emotions and fear-inducing language with threats and problems
	Sarcastic	The project includes sarcasm, contemplating ironic messages, often in a humorous way
Spatial	Global	The project description emphasizes its global appeal
	Local	The project description focuses on the location where it is taking place
	National	The project description addresses the country, in this case, Norway
	Online	The project description emphasis its online appeal and virtual engagement

Figure 2. Evolution of totally or partially funded Norwegian CCCF campaigns in the period of 2016–2021 on the Kickstarter and Bidra platforms.

Figure 3. Comparison of the totally or partially funded Norwegian cultural crowdfunding campaigns on Kickstarter versus Bidra in 2016–2021, categorized according to Kickstarter’s tags.

Figure 4. Comparison of the totally or partially funded Norwegian cultural crowdfunding campaigns on Kickstarter versus Bidra in 2016–2021, categorized according to Throsby’s (2008) concentric circle model.

Figure 5. Number of references per code within the sentiment frame in project descriptions on Kickstarter and Bidra platforms in 2016–2021.

Figure 6. Number of references per code within the goal frame in project descriptions on Kickstarter and Bidra platforms in 2016–2021.

Figure 7. Number of references per code within the impact frame in project descriptions on Kickstarter and Bidra platforms in 2016–2021.

Figure 8. Number of references per code within the attribution frame in project descriptions on Kickstarter and Bidra platforms in 2016–2021.

Figure 9. Number of references per code within the valence frame in project descriptions on Kickstarter and Bidra platforms in 2016–2021.

Figure 10. Number of references per code within the spatial frame in project descriptions on Kickstarter and Bidra platforms in 2016–2021.

Table

Sentiment	Rational	We are currently raising money to support the first issue of the magazine. The money will cover printing the magazine, marketing and distribution. Our goal is to break even at the release, we do not aim to make a profit on the first issue. (Bidra) All funds go into the production budget: old schoolbook binding is a costly process. The budget includes whole calfskins in bulk, salary, material costs for the book binder, printing of book blocks in, and shipping from Estonia, proofing, silk screening of wrap-around bands, die-cutting and silk-screening boxes for the softcover edition, flyers and other promo as well as unique author’s copies. As an example of expenses Vol. II features a medical fold-out illustration that is printed, die-cut and hand glued into every first edition at a cost per copy of 0.90 USD. It will be totally worth it, though. All profits from post launch shop sales go to payment of rent and upkeep of the bookshop – the owners are, like last time, barred from personal use of the raised funds. (Kickstarter)
	Emotional	There is no modest café jazz to trace here, but rather rocked pop music in big band format, which grabs you by the collar of your shirt and stares you right in the eyes. (Bidra) Every time I put on my great grandmother’s old necklace I am reminded of a happy and playful woman who inspired people wherever she went. I also own jewelry that means a lot to me because the jewelry designer has created something entirely unique, as if the jewelry has its own language and wants to tell us something. (Kickstarter)
Goal	Artistic experimentation	Not found in the Bidra sample. For our diploma project we want to raise the question around alternative building methods through shared and open-source building systems. We want to show, experience, and experiment with the benefits that technology and machines provide today. How can prefabricated solutions turn into aesthetic space? (Kickstarter)
	Artistic production	I wrote my own songs for over six years. I have held concerts, with and without a band, I have asked strangers in Oslo if they want a mini-concert in their house, I have played on the streets. Fingers and toes itch to record, give the songs the life they deserve. The songs are ready for an album, the idea is clear, everything is clear in my head and it is time to do something about it. From November 21-December 21, this page is up on bidra.no where anyone can contribute to making this a reality. (Bidra) The reason I started working with Insight Fantasy was that I wanted to create an RPG with an element that I’ve been missing; the possibility to change the story while playing it. Not like the traditional sandbox RPG’s, where you can solve the same quest in a couple of different ways(, and not like a Narrativist RPG System). I want the players to be able to change the story entirely, both the past and the present by implementing special ‘story-changing’-rules into the game mechanics. (Kickstarter)
	Co-creation	You can participate as an extra in the music video for one of the songs to be recorded, and experience the atmosphere on set with the best kids in town. (Bidra) For the next book in the project, we would like you to give us tips, wishes and suggestions about women who deserve being highlighted. We are open to suggestions regarding the angle, and look forward to embarking on the next journey, which you help to shape. (Bidra) Building a community of backers through Kickstarter will help us deliver a product that is grounded within more users, and we invite you to share your ideas on how we can improve the product even further. (Kickstarter)
	Distribution	You can expect both a thank you letter and a record in the mail when it has been printed. Larger contributions are also rewarded with concert tickets and if you hit the big drum, you can even get a private house concert. (Bidra) I love to draw, making comics, and self-publishing them. With the help of you Kickstarters, I’m able to get this comic book to the printers and get it to an audience worldwide. (Kickstarter)
	Event	Street festival X engages both external, but primarily local actors for an experience that will appeal to all age groups, and to a wide range of interests. (Bidra) Norwegian band going on tour in Iceland. Digvalley: from singer-songwriting to majestic ambient folk rock, with dark melancholy lyrics (…) We are going on tour around the entire island of Iceland. A roundtrip of nine gigs.We were promised funding, which now has been pulled last minute. A crowdfunding campaign has been set up (you are currently reading it). (Kickstarter)
	Financing	To be able to realize the project X we have started with crowdfunding. In this way, we hope to raise some money to engage an artist who can guide the participants on the project and buy in necessary materials. (Bidra) Everything we have filmed thus far has been with our own efforts and our own funds, but we realize that we need funding to be able to make the film we want – and which we think the film X deserves. (…) In reality, the film costs well over one million kroner to make, but with good friends in the industry and unpaid self-effort, we need 500,000 kroner to complete the film. (Kickstarter)
	Societal contribution	The social and cultural value of this work of art cannot be described in money. It creates opportunities for social meetings and contact between the generations and provides opportunities for reflection and wonder and further creative joy in society. (Bidra) Not found in the Kickstarter sample.
	Survival	Projects like this are stillborn without your help! (Bidra) Help to start a glassblowing studio in Finnmark, and to give the chance for a livelihood … through glass art! (Bidra)
Impact	Artist	By supporting us, you are supporting a group that we believe will go far in the future. However, as young actors in the establishment phase, we are completely dependent on financial support for the project to be realized. (Bidra) Want help to support this boy on the way to his dream of becoming a professional dancer. ‘I am a dance. Dance is emotion’. (Bidra) Not found in the Kickstarter sample.
	Artist community	The project wants to revive the battle song tradition and create an arena where artists who want to say something with their music can have their records released. (Bidra) It is important to us to be an arena that creates jobs for professional performers. We want to create a larger environment for musical theater in Norway. We challenge the traditional musical genre and want to help further develop the art field. (Bidra) The aim is to build a community around the station, a station made up of DJs, musicians, artists, and listeners. This is what will set us apart from the existing competition. I want to give people something fresh and exciting, something they can feel a part of. So while the focus is local, internet radio means a potentially international audience. (Kickstarter)
	Consumers	My aim with the music is to move and inspire. I know myself how much music has to say, especially for young people who can sometimes feel left out, unheard and unseen. For people who struggle to express themselves or who feel alone. These are the people I am trying to reach with my music project. Show that you are never alone by putting words and music to feelings and thoughts that might otherwise be difficult to express. (Bidra) I want my music to blow your mind in one way or the other. Depending which direction it takes. (…) I want to awaken emotions, possibilities, urge, create moments (Kickstarter) Since art is a rather subjective thing, you can interpret this design as you wish. Attach your own meaning to it and make it special to YOU. (…) Whatever it is, the best thing about pins is that you can perceive the art in your own way and keep it with you wherever you go. On your clothes, bags, or your home. (Kickstarter)
	Environmental	With this exhibition, we want to support the fight against plastic in the ocean. (Bidra) We share this planet with other forms of life, people, animals, plants, and we take this very seriously. Therefore, we prioritize taking the environment into account at all stages of the process, from the choice of fabrics we use, to our methods for dyeing garments and other production practices. (Bidra) In X, we are aware of this massive problem that our planet is suffering. That is the reason why we collaborate with the plastic waste movement Empower. For every pair of shoes you preorder, we clean 1 pound of ocean plastic around the world. Together we help local communities, providing jobs and save the environment. | Cleaning up the ocean, empower minimalist design, and creating a better world through sustainability. (Kickstarter)
	Local community	A cultural contribution to the district that strengthens cohesion and neighborhood feeling and showcases local talent. This is an excellent way to meet new and old neighbors. (Bidra) I think it is important to promote cultural life in a small village, and to show that even if the village is not big, we have a lot of value to offer. I wish to help promote the cultural spirit and bring small voices to the light. (Bidra) The effect of the festival is memories for life and a fantastic experience to be able to tell about from the summer holidays – regardless of the family’s finances. It creates unity in the neighborhood that extends far beyond this day, and that makes further activities and initiatives easier to carry out for the rest of the year. The festival is an experience that connects people together in reality, and takes them away from the virtual world, and it creates pride in the neighborhood. Bergen Municipality believes that initiatives such as the X festival make the city a more attractive city to live in. (Kickstarter)
	Society	Each donation will contribute to a greater understanding of ‘art for all’, the valuable work with children and young people, and art’s original root in the deeply human. (Bidra) We want to focus on society’s demands that one should not stand out too much, and the resistance it can give to people who do not follow the ‘norm’. It is not only about the prejudices others may have against you but also about prejudices you may have about how you are perceived if you stand out. (Bidra) X will certainly not bring this diamond back. However, it helps us, just a little bit, to stay present with her memory through the act of creating something beautiful. Horrific events such as these are sadly not uncommon. In addition, this is our possibility to raise awareness of such cruelties in the world. Our aim is that the single, Fireball, and this Kickstarter campaign, is more than just a song and a video. It’s a cause! (Kickstarter) We live in a time of great and rapid change. It is important to be able to watch films from all over the world and that these are placed in a context that provides insight across national borders and cultures. Films that take the pulse of their time and which are a source of knowledge, tolerance and reflection, and which form the basis for current public debate. These niche films rarely make big money but are still important – both for society and the audience. (Kickstarter)
Attribution	Artistic freedom	All contributions will be a great contribution not only for me as a composer but also for the new music in general and the classical music world which needs such a boost. (Bidra) I like doing things myself. Including everything from layout design to speaking directly with my readers. With a publisher, you’re less hands-on, and for a control freak who physically aches if a piece of text is not perfectly centered when it is supposed to be – well, you get the idea:) I do not want to publish my stuff unless it is 100%, and I’m truly the only one who cares enough about my stuff to make 100% sure it is. (Kickstarter)
	Audience creation	A good music video greatly increases our chances of getting our music exposed. (Bidra) The reason why we plan to carry out the project is primarily that we want to expand our audience. (Bidra) We decided to launch this book on Kickstarter because we want to have a chance to connect with our audience, that’s you! (Kickstarter) We’ve identified most suppliers and manufacturers and some of the major parts for the prototypes are already made by some of them. The Kickstarter campaign will also help connect us to new markets around the world and provide the level of fun you and your friends or family deserve on the snow! (Kickstarter)
	Covid-19	Help us keep our head above water during the corona crisis! (Bidra) Many of our sources of income this spring have been canceled due to Covid-19, and therefore we need your support so that we can continue to spread musical joy. (Bidra) Like everyone else, my 2020 did not go to plan. The last shows I was able to perform and earn money, were at the end of 2019, opening for X on her European tour. That’s why I’m struggling to raise the funds to record this new album. Up until now I have funded all my albums myself, but this year that has been difficult. (Kickstarter)
	Lack of finance	Hoping for financial support/contributions to be able to finance this debut music video in good quality. (Bidra) We are still in the start-up phase, and desperately need some contributions to get the jump start we need. It is not much we ask, and nothing is too small, any contribution will help! (Bidra) We had entered into a record contract, and the only thing we lacked was financial support to carry out the project. After repeatedly applying to various funds and support schemes, we have not yet received all the money we need. (Bidra) We start this magazine without financial resources and our wish is that each publication will help finance the next. We do a lot of the work ourselves, but we have to pay for some important things. The most visible expense we have is fees for designers and article writers, but there are many other expenses that are essential for the magazine yarn to be the product we want to present to you: including proofreading, technical editing, graphic work and accounting. (Kickstarter) We start this magazine without financial resources and our wish is that each publication will help finance the next. We do a lot of the work ourselves, but we have to pay for some important things. The most visible expense we have is fees for designers and article writers, but there are many other expenses that are essential for the magazine yarn to be the product we want to present to you: including proofreading, technical editing, graphic work and accounting. (Kickstarter)
	Market need	Not found in the Bidra sample. People that are outdoors often spend a lot of their time sitting. The butt is therefore a well-known source for loosing heat. The outdoor industry has given this surprisingly little attention, and somebody had to do something. (Kickstarter) The reason I started working with X was that I wanted to create an RPG with an element that I’ve been missing; the possibility to change the story while playing it. Not like the traditional sandbox RPG’s, where you can solve the same quest in a couple of different ways (and not like a Narrativist RPG System). I want the players to be able to change the story entirely, both the past and the present by implementing special ‘story-changing’-rules into the game mechanics. (Kickstarter)
	Product sales	Do you want to give yourself and others a Christmas present that is both unique, can be proudly displayed, and at the same time contributes to society? Buy the book now! (Bidra) Collector’s record no. 2 in the series will be released in August 2017. Preorder here and get an exclusive color on the vinyl, which will not be available in stores! (Bidra) Our XXX design is inspired by the beautiful nature and the Art Nouveau city of Aalesund on the west coast of Norway. We offer a new way to buy a unique timepiece. Limited edition watches directly to you, at a fraction of the retail price. Skipping the middlemen. (Kickstarter) The basic idea behind the project (strictly for the entire workplace we create ourselves) is to have fun. The products should be fun, buying experience should be fun, we have fun while we work. (Kickstarter)
Valence	Positive	The musical execution is top notch, and the use of organ, piano and trumpet is particularly tasteful. The interaction sounds natural, and is not characterized by the rigid frames that studio recordings often express. (Bidra) It would have been very cool to immortalize the result on vinyl, to the delight of the choir members and their loyal fan base. (Bidra) I want to revamp my love for my art form and share the feeling it will exude with those who are curious, searching and hopeful. (Kickstarter) We are truly grateful for all the support from across the world thus far and now we’d like to give something back: A beautiful, well-crafted, hardcover book that is sustainable both with the printing practices and the choice of paper. (Kickstarter)
	Negative	The lyric has no longer the same foothold as before and is therefore not considered saleable. (Bidra) Our vision to promote the artists of today and tomorrow is hanging by a thin thread. (Bidra) European seas are in crisis. Through the news we hear almost daily about the devastation of these life-sustaining ecosystems - ‘doom and gloom’ regarding waste, pollution and climate change is taking over. Many of us could easily abandon any hope of recovery. (Kickstarter)
	Sarcastic	Not found in the Bidra sample. If I break both arms, I guess it will take some more time to finish it (Kickstarter) X is a new band with old friends and lyrics in Norwegian about life before death and about all the everyday things society expects you to solve without complaining, but which is truly both awkward and scary. Tandem is the result of a collective opinion among members about the need for a counterweight to sluts, well-baked pizzas, cheap pan whistle sounds and the media’s uninterrupted promotion of self-tanning cream and restylan. Some of us may think that there will soon be enough barefoot vegans in wool sweaters on Norwegian stages as well. So they try to find the middle ground between no emotions and so many emotions that it becomes impossible to understand, for everyone who is upbeat enough to have a permanent job. (Kickstarter)
Spatial	Global	Hopefully the film will be able to enter documentary film competitions, both nationally and internationally. Despite the fact that this is a Norwegian production, we will try to make the film as ‘neutral’ as possible, so that it can hopefully be spread beyond the country’s borders. (Bidra) As the project continues to cross borders, it also aims to rediscover a demographic group too often labeled as marginalized and generate new perspectives on who we are and where we belong. (Kickstarter)
	Local	From February 2017, the results will be exhibited and sold in a location in the center of Stranda municipality. (Bidra) We will show new musical theater by young professional artists in Oslo, Norway. (Bidra) Some of the basic wool hoods are proudly Made in Norway as I am trying to make them as local as I can! (Kickstarter)
	National	This is generally to support and strengthen Norwegian literature as a whole. (Bidra). The concert will promote old Norwegian hits and focus on a unique part of Norwegian music history. (Bidra) Our ambition is to put Norway and the Norwegian art community on the map in regard to digital art and innovation! (Bidra) X is a story about our ancestors and how they have fought for their life for generations and the struggle just to survive in the brutal climate we have in Norway. I want to honor them with this collection. They survived by passing on their knowleges to the next generations and now it`s time for us to learn something about how they lived. (Kickstarter)
	Online	The podcast is available online for free. (Bidra) We are working hard to get a digital festival up and running on 3–5. July. (Bidra) The series will initially be available on social media. (Bidra) We intend to make X a virtually endlessly expandable creative brainstorming system for everyone who writes stories and does other creative work. (Kickstarter)

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