Different strokes
The relationship between levels of public expenditure and participation is influenced by many things, and government policies have not always responded to the fact that artistic habits can change (for instance, with video, DVD and the subsequent impact on cinema attendance).
The Nordic social welfare approach, for example, emphasises the need for an extensive network of public cultural institutions. Finland, in particular, invested heavily in the cultural infrastructure in the 1980s. The result is one of the best library networks in the world and one of the highest ratios of museums to people - some 900 museums in a population less than the size of London.
In Sweden, a key policy since 1974 has been to develop opportunities for everyone, especially young people, to participate as both consumers and creators of culture. This approach is supported by high per capita spending on the arts for Sweden's 8.85m inhabitants. Attendance at music events, theatre, museums and exhibitions has been growing in popularity, and about half the population takes part in artistic activity. On the other hand, although almost two-thirds of the population still goes to the cinema at least once a year, the total number of visits has fallen by 36% over 20 years. The largest amount of cultural spending (38%) goes to the public library service: there are about 1,600 libraries in the country.
Not every European country continues to focus on its cultural infrastructure. The Dutch government for one has shifted its attitude from its previous policy of providing organisations with across-the-board funding, to offering financial incentives instead. This approach seeks to promote self-sufficiency and demand-led provision. The cinema remains the most popular form of art and culture: 44% of the population visit cinemas regularly. However, there has also been an upsurge of public interest in archaeology, which has not been fuelled by public sector investment. Characteristically, the Dutch are doing their own thing.
As for France, we need only think of Mitterrand's "grands projets" to appreciate the unique relationship between the French government and the cultural sector. The government's high level of involvement is supported by political commitment and resourcing. Since 1982, the target, uncontested by political opponents, has been to spend around 1% of the state budget on the cultural sector, and expenditure now approaches the FF20bn mark.
One might expect that such resources, together with a vibrant cultural sector and active cultural education policy would have inspired uniform enthusiasm. True, almost half the French population over 15 engage in some form of cultural activity. Attendance at arts facilities has increased over the past 25 years, in part due to policies such as free entry days for certain museums and monuments, and reduced ticket prices at the cinema and selected theatres. However, while the significant increase in library membership has been a notable success story, a study in the late 1990s revealed that more than a quarter of the French population have not read a single book in the past 12 months. Provision, we find, does not always guarantee participation.