Cultural participation and inclusive societies – A thematic report based on the Indicator Framework on Culture and Democracy

By enhancing cultural participation among Europeans, will the values of tolerance, trust and willingness to engage respectfully with others be strengthened, and more open, inclusive societies emerge as a result?

A link has been made in recent years between a strong, well-functioning democracy and an abundance of cultural opportunities for all. Societies are said to be more open, tolerant and economically successful when people have easy access to a wide range of cultural activities and when participation rates in these activities are high.

This first Council of Europe thematic report on culture and democracy specifically explores the relation between cultural participation and aspects of inclusive societies in Europe, such as tolerance and trust, and underlines the potential power of culture in nurturing them.

The report is based on the Indicator Framework on Culture and Democracy, developed by the Council of Europe and the Hertie School of Governance, in co-operation with the European Cultural Foundation.