European models of cultural policy: towards European convergence in public spending and cultural participation?

ENCultural policies were invented in post-war Europe with three basic aims: to safeguard cultural heritage; to encourage creation; to bring The Arts closer to citizens. Thus, led by Scandinavia and countries such as France and Great Britain, these policies spread and shaped different models, each of which responded to different cultural, historical and political traditions. A process of European cultural convergence is currently under way within the framework of the European Union. Evidence for this convergence is to be found in Compendium, Eurostat and Eurobarometer data. However, long-lasting structural and institutional factors explain why notable differences in cultural spending and the make-up of cultural consumption persist, hence the need to rethink the notion of European cultural policy models.