1. Task Force 4 Cultural Practices and Social Aspects of Culture
Luxembourg May,
Vladimír Bína

2. Participants and Members
Leader: Netherlands
Participants: Belgium (Flanders), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Netherlands, Sweden.
Members: Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal. Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey.

3. A Special Feature of Task Force 4
There is at least one very important difference between the work of the Task Force 4 and the other three Task Forces of the ESSnet on Culture: No international nomenclature or classification is available yet for the statistics and/or surveys concerning cultural participation and social aspects of culture. The differences in survey design and methodology persist on European and even national level. Nevertheless surveys all over Europe face profound changes in the kind and style of popular culture in general and youth culture in particular as well as the far reaching consequences the information and communication technology has on cultural practices of the population. There is therefore a need for a harmonized survey design and methodology and for a new module on cultural practices and social aspects of culture.

4. Points of departure
ESSnet is a pilot project, the available time and financial resources are very limited, therefore:
This Task Force cannot be expected to set up and conduct a survey
NEITHER
on a Europeans' participation in cultural activities;
NOR
on the social effects of cultural participation.
The Task Force, however can:
Make an inventory of existing statistics and surveys on participation in cultural and civic activities on European and national level;
Harmonize, or when needed, redefine the indicators for participation;
AND
Make recommendations for inclusion of both aspects in ongoing and future EU and national statistics and surveys.

5. What should the Task Force 4 deliver?
A comparative analysis of existing and ongoing European and international surveys on cultural and civic participation. This should include a methodological comparison.
A comparative analysis of national surveys on cultural (and civic) participation. This should include a methodological comparison. All EU and ‘associated’ countries (Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey) will be invited to participate.
A design for a module on cultural (and social participation to be included in the forthcoming EU surveys. This module should include the methodological recommendations as well.

6. First Steps
Starting analysis of EU surveys, mainly EU-SILC and AES survey.
Conducting a methodological inventory of ongoing national surveys on cultural practices.
The main results of this inventory are:

7. Response National Surveys
Belgium (Flanders, French and German Speaking Communities), Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom,
AES/EU SILC
Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia.
No response
Austria, Greece, Ireland,. Romania.

8. Cultural Participation
Visits to Different Kinds of Performing Arts Distinguished
Belgium (Flanders and French Speaking Community), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Sweden distinguishes only visits to theatre and all kinds of concerts.
Visits to Cinema
Belgium (Flanders and French Speaking Community), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Belgium (Flanders and French Speaking Community), , Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
Visits to Museums and Galleries
Belgium (Flanders and French Speaking Community), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Belgium (Flanders and French Speaking Community), Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

9. Cultural Participation (Continued)
Visits to libraries
Belgium (Flanders and French Speaking Community), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
Netherlands only asks membership of public libraries.
Until now, no country includes questions on accessing libraries via Internet.
Amateur Practices
Belgium (Flanders and French Speaking Community), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
Participation in 'Informal' Cultural Events
Belgium (Flanders), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

10. Media Habits Reading in Leisure Time
Belgium (Flanders* and French Speaking Community), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands*, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
Watching Television and Recorded Images
Belgium (Flanders* and French Speaking Community), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands*, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
Listening to Radio and Recorded Sound
Belgium (Flanders* and French Speaking Community), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands*, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
Using Internet for Cultural Purposes
Belgium (Flanders* and French Speaking Community), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, ,Netherlands*, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
*In the Netherlands and Flanders Media Habits are recorded by the means of a periodical Time Use Surveys

11. Other Activities
Other Activities in Leisure Time (Sport, Hobbies etcetera)
Belgium (Flanders and French Speaking Community), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Hungary, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.

12. Civic Participation Voluntary Work, Donating
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey.
Helping behaviour
Denmark, Flanders, Netherlands, Turkey.
Participation in Political Parties and Trade Unions
Denmark, Finland, Flanders, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Turkey.
Participation in Religion and Ideological Organisations
Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Turkey.

13. Civic Participation (Continued)
Participation in Pressure Groups
Belgium (Flanders), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey.
Participation in Cultural Associations
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey.
Participation in Other Associations
Belgium (Flanders and French Speaking Community), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Sweden, Turkey.

14. Survey Dedicated Survey
Belgium (Flanders and French Speaking Community), Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, United Kingdom.
Module on Cultural Participation in another Survey
Finland, Netherlands, Sweden.
Periodicity of the Survey
Yearly: Czech Republic, Flanders (Belgium), United Kingdom.
5 years or less: Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland.
5 to 10 years: Denmark, Finland, France, Luxembourg, Malta, Sweden.

15. Sample Number of Respondents
Less than 2 000: Flanders (Belgium), Malta, Luxembourg
2 000 to 5 000: Finland, France, French Community (Belgium), Sweden, Switzerland
5 000 to : Czech Republic, Poland
and more: Italy, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom

16. Next Steps A thorough analysis of EU surveys, mainly EU-SILC and AES.
Continuation of the analysis the national surveys. The purpose of this analysis is to discern ‘core topics’ i.e. cultural practices which are covered in all (or the most) surveys, albeit in various ways.
A concise study of the consequences of the growing importance of popular culture and ICT for the research on cultural participation on national and international level.

17. Thank you very much! Vladimír Bína Pauwhof 180
2289 BM Rijswijk ZH, The Netherlands
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