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Figure 1. Cultural values and identity
Source: Brown, 2004.
For measurement and analysis, it is crucial to acknowledge that cultural participation is a
conscious act. According to the Leadership Group Culture (LEG) on cultural statistics, “there is
participation in cultural activities when in any context and through any channel, with a shared
general code of communication, we have senders and receivers paying much attention to forms
and contents of messages to increase their own informational and cultural baggage” (Eurostat,
2000). Passing a monument by chance while window shopping, for instance, cannot be
considered a conscious act of cultural participation (the person is not “paying much attention” to
the cultural “message” conveyed by the historical monument “to increase her/his own cultural
baggage”). The element of awareness has gained importance in the past few years, with the
diffusion of new forms of “unintentional” consumption fostered by new technologies (see
Chapter 2.2.2). Moving forward from the LEG definition of 2000, the 2011 report of the ESSnet,
a European Union-wide review and update of the LEG project, has adopted the so-called ICET
model which acknowledges four forms of cultural participation:
• Information: to seek, collect and spread information on culture;
• Communication and community: to interact with others on cultural issues and to
participate in cultural networks;
• Enjoyment and expression: to enjoy exhibitions, art performances and other forms of
cultural expression, to practice the arts for leisure, and to create online content; and
• Transaction: to buy art and to buy or reserve tickets for shows.
(ESSnet, 2011:203)
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