ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the individual motivations or gratifications sought that drive Europeans’ cultural participation and how these differ across various cultural activities and socio-demographic profiles. Whereas the so-called “uses and gratifications” of mediated and digital culture have been thoroughly studied and theorised by media scholars, the crucial role of motivation in other areas of cultural participation has received far less systematic attention. This chapter aims to contribute to a more comprehensive account of the links between specific motivations, types of cultural participation, socio-demographic profiles, and country contexts. Drawing on the INVENT survey, we first examine and compare the main motivations for Europeans’ engagement in a variety of cultural activities. Next, we explore if motivational drivers of participation in specific activities vary according to socio-demographic characteristics and geographical context. Our findings highlight the diversity of motivations that drive cultural participation and how these motivations vary across socio-demographic profiles. We also find considerable differences between countries in the prevalence of specific motivations.
