Territory, intangible heritage and value generation

This article focuses on the empirical measurement of the values generated by an intangible cultural heritage good in the territory that hosts it, understood as a set of positive externalities internalized by the territory and its inhabitants, both permanent and visitors. Three expressions of value generated by intangible heritage are measured and identified: cultural value (emotions and feelings that are positively correlated with individual well-being), social value (possibility of intercultural dialogue between individuals) and economic value (jobs and income in the territory). The article takes as a case study a local, popular and internationally recognized cultural festival: the Petronio alvarez Pacific Music Festival, held in the city of Cali (Colombia). A mix of instruments is used to measure the values: a face-to-face survey of attendees (n = 1,030) and non-attendees (n = 227), interviews (n = 6) with managers/organizers and an input-output model adapted to the territory defined as the area of impact of the event. These instruments make it possible to estimate accurate measures of material (economic) and non-material (social, cultural) value. These measures can be used in current debates on the contribution of culture to the economy and society of the territories.