Income distribution and cultural participation: evidence from Italy

This paper investigates the relationship between income distribution and cultural participation, using regional data from Italy spanning the period 2011–2022. Unlike traditional studies that emphasize individual factors such as personal income and education as determinants of cultural consumption, we interpret cultural participation as a social behaviour influenced by income distribution. Our findings reveal a robust significant negative effect of income inequality, measured by the Gini index, on participation in out-of-home cultural activities. The effect persists after controlling for income, education, and other factors including labour market conditions and access to digital tools. The paper also examines the mechanisms through which income distribution may shape cultural engagement and suggest policy implications for making cultural participation an effective means to foster social inclusion.