A New Study Finds That People Who Attend Cultural Events Are Happier With Their Lives Than People Who Don’t

File this under things you probably intrinsically knew but now
have data to support: arts and culture really do go a
long way toward making people feel content.

A new study in the UK has quantified just how much arts
offerings influence people’s choice to relocate or stay in a
particular city. And as it turns out, the presence of arts and
culture overwhelmingly affected respondents’ sense of
well-being and satisfaction, their attachment to a place, and their
sense of community. In fact, citizens gave as much weight to the
presence of culture as the presence of good schools when making a
decision about where to settle.

“A strong arts and cultural offer makes people feel more content
and thus more likely to stay within an area,” the study’s authors
write. “Accounting for a range of factors that influence life
satisfaction, people attending a wider range of arts and cultural
events are more satisfied with their lives than people who
don’t.”

The study, titled “Value of Arts and Culture
in Place-Shaping,” examined 1,756 responses to a UK-wide survey
conducted in 2017. Conducted by the research company Wavehill Ltd.
and commissioned by Arts Council England, the report not only makes
a good case for community arts funding, but also suggests that the
arts could be used to help draw new residents to smaller towns.

Some 68 percent of respondents stated that arts and cultural
events were very important for helping them feel part of their
community. Over half would like to see more offerings in their
area. And nearly two-thirds said that arts and culture were good
for their personal well-being. (Interestingly, a smaller share—36
percent—classified arts and culture as “essential to life.”)

“The hard evidence shows that the arts matter to people
across the country, and makes clear the case for greater investment
in culture,” former Tate director and Arts Council England
chair Nicholas Serota wrote in an essay about the findings for
the Guardian.

The study focused on how arts and culture affected residents’
desire to relocate to or stay in cities across the UK. In addition
to the survey, the authors also conducted interviews with residents
and business owners in six smaller or mid-size cities outside
of London: Birmingham, Halifax, Hastings, Redruth, Southam, and
Stoke-on-Trent.

The findings offer a potential avenue for development in cities
that have previously relied on manufacturing or other now-dwindling
industries. In order to attract new residents, the study suggests,
towns might consider emphasizing their creative assets.

“[M]any towns that once had thriving high streets and commercial
centers are experiencing a loss of confidence and a changing sense
of identity,” Serota wrote. “The presence of a theater, a gallery,
or a library—places where people gather to enjoy themselves and
share an experience—can help to sustain towns through the
transformations of our age.”

Serota added that he found it “heartening” that Boris Johnson
acknowledged the key role arts and culture had played in enhancing
the reputation of Manchester in one of his first speeches as UK prime minister.

Below are some additional key takeaways from the Arts Council
England study.

• Art is crucial to community-building. A
  whopping 65 percent of respondents said that art is very important
  to establishing a sense of community. Overall, respondents
  highlighted arts and culture in relation to community
  integration, fostering a sense of collective identity, space
  for interaction, and shared experience.
• Art and culture can draw new residents.
  Forty-four percent of respondents said that the quality of artistic
  and cultural offerings would influence their decision to stay in a
  place, while 43 percent said it affects their decision to move.
  Both of these figures were roughly equivalent to the importance
  placed on the quality of schools in a city. The study suggests that
  cities seeking newcomers need to promote their exclusive arts
  offerings as part of their marketing strategy.
• Art is essential to
  well-being. Forty-nine percent of respondents said that
  attending arts and culture events helped them feel a part of their
  community—which enhanced their sense of well-being—while 55 percent
  wanted to see more offerings.
• Businesses find it a little less “essential.”
  While individuals overwhelmingly emphasized the importance of
  creative projects on their happiness in a given city, businesses
  had a more mixed response. Some noted that arts offerings help
  attract young professionals and graduates and raise the profile of
  a city for skilled foreign workers. But many said other things were
  more important, like local schools. The researchers suggested
  that arts and cultural organizations should engage local businesses
  in dialogue about potential collaboration and sponsorship
  opportunities to encourage them to feel as invested in their
  success as individuals are.

The post A New Study Finds That People Who Attend Cultural
Events Are Happier With Their Lives Than People Who Don’t
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