Stability and change in patterns of cultural participation in the events of the European Capital of Culture Wroclaw 2016

This study analyses the extent to which the exposure to cultural events of the European Capital of Culture Wroclaw 2016 resulted in more inclusive participation in culture. Drawing from the data from a representative survey of city and region inhabitants (N = 1000) , we examine the impact of the pre-existing habits of cultural participation on engagement in events offered during ECOC 2016. Relationships between the cultural habits of participants, their socio-demographic characteristics, and attendance at ECOC events divided into four categories (mass, ludic, artistic, niche) are analysed. The study indicates the role of the cultural habits preceding participation in ECOC as a determinant of involvement in cultural events. We found that people oriented towards cultural participation were more likely to attend diverse ECOC events. For people culturally oriented to leisure at home, a massive and diverse cultural offer was not enough to expand their interest beyond mass and ludic events. We conclude that - contrary to ECOC values emphasising egalitarianism and open access to culture and contrary to cultural policy goals aimed at broadening cultural participation - ECOC 2016 was a selective event, which can be considered more broadly as a foreseeable failure in achieving the cultural policy aims underlying ECOCs.