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Income distribution and cultural participation: evidence from Italy

Roberto Cellini & Tiziana Cuccia

Journal of Cultural Economics2026https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-025-09572-yarticle
AJG 2ABDC A
Weight
0.50

Abstract

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.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-025-09572-y

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@article{roberto2026,
  title        = {{Income distribution and cultural participation: evidence from Italy}},
  author       = {Roberto Cellini & Tiziana Cuccia},
  journal      = {Journal of Cultural Economics},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-025-09572-y},
}

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Income distribution and cultural participation: evidence from Italy

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

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