Industry
Wider income gaps linked to lower cultural participation, study finds
People in regions with wider income gaps are less likely to use cultural facilities such as cinemas, theatres, museums and performance venues, a study found. Tracking Italy’s 20 regions from 2011 to 2022, researchers found cultural participation was lower where income inequality was higher. The link held after accounting for per-capita income, regional characteristics and year-by-year changes. The researchers cited cost burdens and unequal opportunities as barriers, and warned that expanding venues alone may not narrow gaps.
