| Description |
Access to Europe’s CH has been supported by governments through policies and funding programs developed to stimulate creative production and social participation. This is because cultural participation is linked to positive social effects, such as improving education and literacy when reading books. This policy brief will focus on the effects of two forms of government support: VAT regulation for CH goods and services and direct subsidies to CH organisations. Though most policies are drawn within a legal or cultural context, fiscal policies can also contribute to increase access to CH, for instance, by lowering the VAT rate for books. In the RICHES project, an analysis has been made of Europe’s changing environment, increasingly digital, where CH is produced, distributed and consumed, by considering the economic and fiscal dimension to CH. During this research project a new theoretical model was developed to explore the relation between the characteristics of different European countries and the effects of government support in VAT rates for CH organisations. This policy paper presents the results and outcomes of the research and describes the actions that can be taken to stimulate a CH-rich and CH-engaged European society. |
