European Comission has released a study on youth access to culture in Europe

European Comission has released a study "Youth Access to Culture" on Septemper 13, 2010. The study aimed to answer what are the areas where actions aimed at fostering access of young people to culture can and have been taken, what are the relevant practices carried out by national authorities and other actors in different Member States and what are the main obstacles that hinder young people´s access to and participation in culture.

Access of young people to culture as actors or users is an essential condition for their
full participation in society. The ways young people access culture as users or creators, or simply participants of a cultural experience, are various and include, apart from classic channels and institutions, dynamic youth culture channels. Young people are not a homogeneous group and need differentiated, coordinated and long-term policies for accessing culture.

The study uses concrete examples and practices such as financial incentives to cultural consumption, projects using new technologies or projects engaging young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in culture. The study illustrates inter alia the need for building bridges between school, family, youth workers and community, as well as the administrations in charge of youth, culture, education, family and social affairs and other involved actors. To that aim, it suggests strategies to be developed at all levels of governance and involve young people in decision-making processes to the extent possible.

The study report can be downloaded from the European Comission webpages.