Which indicator best measures cultural engagement? A comparative analysis

Culture plays a central role in society. It supports inclusion, identity, and civic participation, while also contributing to economic activity and political engagement. Therefore, using appropriate tools to measure Cultural Engagement (CE) is crucial. In this paper, a set of composite indicators to measure cultural participation is developed, starting from individual participation in a range of cultural activities. Traditional methods—such as weighted and unweighted averages and Principal Component Analysis (PCA)—and a different approach based on Item Response Theory (IRT) are compared. These methods are examined in terms of interpretability and key features, looking across Italian regions and population subgroups, with attention to economic resources, education and gender. The analysis relies on nine waves (2014–2022) of the Aspects of Daily Life survey by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT). While classical methods tend to be more intuitive and easier to read, the IRT-based approach offers distinct advantages, especially when analyzing individual cultural activities. Overall, the IRT approach enriches a body of literature that has, so far, offered limited tools for measuring CE. • Some composite indicators are developed to measure cultural engagement. • Traditional approaches are compared with an Item Response Theory (IRT) method. • The analysis uses Italian data from 2014 to 2022 to compare alternative indicators. • The IRT measure provides advantages when analyzing individual cultural activities. • Regional and socio-economic disparities in cultural engagement are highlighted.