Raising cultural participation
Limits and pitfalls of cultural spending in cities
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12401209 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Romain Lerouge (0000-0003-2154-7606, Politecnico di Milano, corresponding author), Michela Arnaboldi (0000-0003-0950-454X, Politecnico di Milano) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 105 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 100143-100143 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-04 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Papers of the Regional Science Association (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1056-8190 • E-ISSN: 1435-5957 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.pirs.2026.100143 |
| OpenAlex | W7133338167 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 39 |
Cultural participation is a catalyst for urban vitality and transformation, characterising central-periphery dynamics. At the frontline of public endowment to the arts, cities' spending plays a major role in sustaining cultural vibrancy in a territory. People’s cultural participation is, however, shaped by several socio-economic factors that can be a barrier to their engagement in the arts, intimately tied to the effectiveness of public spending in cities. This study draws on data from 1,343 towns and cities in the Italian region of Lombardy, and investigates the relationship between cultural spending and cultural participation. While the relationship is significant only for wealthy cities with lower economic deprivation, the study outlines the importance for local administrators to integrate cultural policies into a broader set of public policy actions. • Combines cities’ expenditure with cultural participation data • Spatial model accounts for population size and proximity to provincial capital • Points out city socio-economic barriers related to public expenditure effectiveness • Strong spatial spillovers in peripheral towns
Capital (architecture · Cultural capital · Endowment · Population · Public expenditure · Public policy · Public spending · Raising (metalworking · Vitality · Cultural Industries and Urban Development · Music History and Culture · Social and Cultural Dynamics
Nothing but the Cuckoo Clock?
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The spatial dimensions of cultural consumption
Spatial dependence in museum services
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Your luxury loft, my daily misery!’ University theatre, neighbours, and schools combat gentrification through applied theatre practices in a marginal district of Majorca, Spain
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Networking and spatial interactions
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European models of cultural policy
Culture and tourism-led peri-urban transformation in China – The case of Shanghai
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Do we hear the voices of local citizens when we arrange cultural megaprojects for them? A case of the European capitals of culture
Measure for Measure
The composition of local government expenditure and income growth
Spillover effects in local public spending
Social Class and Cultural Consumption
Exploring city dynamics through tweets
Working-class heritage and the marketization of difference - the limits of new museology at Manhattan's Tenement Museum
How does cultural capital affect educational performance
Cultural engagement and mental health
Who benefits from public funding of the performing arts? Comparing the art provision and the hegemony-distinction approaches
On Spatial Differences in the Attractiveness of Dutch Museums
Does Culture Make a Better Citizen? Exploring the Relationship Between Cultural and Civic Participation in Italy
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |