1. Cultural Practices and Social Aspects of Culture Final Report (Draft)
Task Force 4
Cultural Practices and Social Aspects of Culture
Final Report (Draft)
Main Results and Conclusions

2. Cultural participation and cultural policy
On national level:
Cultural sector in Europe depends strongly on public financing
However: better educated and thus affluent part of population benefits the most from subsidized cultural provisions.
Therefore: policy measures to foster public interest in arts and culture, especially among the youth and lower educated people.
Surveys of cultural practices to assess the effectiveness of such measures.
On international level:
Growing interest in well-being and quality of life (Stiglitz report; GDP and beyond) and indicators for well-being.
Cultural practices are an important part of well-being. Due to the lack of European research of these practices, comparable results – and therefore indicators – are missing.

3. Existing efforts to harmonize research on cultural practices in Europe
Leadership Group on Culture Statistics ( )
Working Group on Culture Statistics ( )
Eurobarometers (2001, 2003, 2007)
Inclusion of questions on cultural participation in SILC and AES
Conclusions:
Only a tiny fraction of the proposals of the LEG Task Force on Cultural Participation realised.
Lack of continuity: starting all over again.
Cultural practices were, until now, apparently considered as a marginal subject.

4. Changing cultural landscape
Two major developments:
From ‘La distinction’ to an omnivorous participation pattern
Rapidly growing impact of ICT on cultural practices.
The effects of ICT –and especially the Internet- are not restricted to visiting or watching or listening to cultural manifestation, but concern all activities connected with cultural practices.
The ICET- model.
Need for an in-depth study to investigate bearing of ICT on cultural participation. This study can be carried out as a follow-up of a national survey of cultural practices.
Questions: Which Member States intend to conduct such national surveys in the near future? Would they be prepared carry out such a follow-up and, if so, under which conditions?

5. A Framework for cultural practices
The framework fits in the general framework for cultural statistics developed by Task Force 1.
Three dimensions of cultural practices:
Amateur practices, i.e. practicing the arts for leisure;
Attending/receiving, i.e. visits to cultural events and following artistic and cultural broadcasts of all kind of media;
Social participation/volunteering, i.e. being a member of cultural groups and associations, doing voluntary work for cultural institution, etc.
Questions: Do you agree with the framework and the threefold division of cultural practices? Is the framework complete? Did we miss any cultural practices?

6. Analysis of European surveys on cultural participation
Surveys included in the analysis:
Eurobarometers (2001 and 2003), SILC (2006), AES (2007), ESS (2002-…) ICT survey (2005-…) HETUS (2000-…)
Conclusion: Results on cultural participation are not comparable with those of national surveys or with other countries. Cultural practices overestimated. Many implausible outcomes.
Main cause is the so called ‘output harmonization’. Considerable variation in phrasing the questions in national languages; different modes of data collections.
Solution: ‘input harmonization’: checking and double checking the translation the questions in national languages; using a uniform mode of data collection.
Question: Do you agree with this proposal, even if the ‘input harmonization’ is more expensive than ‘output harmonization’?

7. Analysis of national surveys on cultural participation
17 countries completed methodological questionnaire concerning their national survey sent by TF 4.
Most countries distinguish between visits to different kinds of performing arts and different kinds of heritage (museums, monuments, archaeological sites etc.)
Most countries include amateur practices and ‘informal’ cultural events.
Media habits are not always included. Countries that don’t include these habits mostly have a time use survey.
Seven national surveys also include civic participation.
There are many differences between the surveys with regard to the mode of data collection and sampling methods.
National questionnaires were translated in English and compared. The comparison resulted in a common Comprehensive Questionnaire of Cultural Practices and the related List of Indicators on Cultural Participation.

8. Module on cultural practices
Two parts:
Methodological guidelines to smooth differences between data collection carried out in different countries.
Module questionnaire focuses on eight domains of cultural participation: performing arts; architecture; heritage; visual arts and crafts; books and press; libraries; film and video; radio, television and Internet.
Methodological recommendations concern population, reference period, data collection, sampling design and size and measurement errors.
Questionnaire takes three aspects of cultural practices into account: attending/receiving, amateur practices, social participation/volunteering. Direct broadcasts and recordings of cultural events included. List of indicators connected to the questionnaire.
The questionnaire – or a selection from it – should be used in a European survey which also covers civic participation.
Main question: What are the chances that this module – or a selection from it - will be used in a European survey in near future?

9. Needed
Commitment of the European Commission and Eurostat to Culture Statistics

12. Thank you very much!