Links between adult and childhood cultural

participation in the Scottish Household Survey (SHS).

Wojciech Hupert, CEAT

Background to this work• Evidence on the links between cultural participation and other

outcomes (2004)• 2007/08 Culture (and Sport) module in the SHS - Disparities between levels of cultural participation amongst people

with varying socio-demographic characteristics• Literature review of the links between childhood and adult

participation in cultural and scientific activities.- Encouragement from parents, positive experiences of

participation/attendance result in greater exposure to arts activities when growing up.

Methodology• Secondary analysis of the 2007/08 SHS Culture (and Sport)

module data • Logistic regression – allows us to account for a number of

variables that are held constant• Factors accounted for:

- educational qualifications - age - gender - income - multiple deprivation - urban/rural indicator

5 Models Used in this work(distinction between participation and attendance)

• Theatre when growing up / theatre in the last 12 months.• Reading in childhood / reading for pleasure in the last 12

months.• Museum/gallery attendance when growing up / adult

attendance at museums and galleries in the last 12 months.

• Performing in childhood / performing in the last 12 months.• Performing in childhood / undertaking creative activities in

the last 12 months.

Example of variables usedEncouragement to read for pleasure as a child.1) Encouraged a lot2) Encouraged a little3) Not encouraged at all4) Don’t know

In the last 12 months have you done any of these kinds of activities? …

Yes/No

Derived variables

• Creative activities: painting; drawing; printmaking or sculpture; writing stories, plays or books; writing poetry; writing music.

• Performing: playing a musical instrument; acting; dancing or singing.

Key findings

• People who were encouraged to attend and take part in cultural activities as a child are more likely to participate in and attend cultural activities in adulthood, compared with those who were not encouraged to do so.

• The effect of childhood encouragement is stronger where the cultural activity involves active participation rather then just attendance.

Theatre

Those taken to the theatre as a child were 45% more likely (Odds Ratio 1.45) to have attended a theatre performance as an adult in the last 12 months, compared with those who were not encouraged.

Museums and galleries

Those taken to museums and galleries in childhood were 69% more likely (Odds Ratio 1.69) as an adult to have visited museums and galleries in the last 12 months, compared with those who were not encouraged.

Reading for pleasure

Those encouraged to read for pleasure in childhood were over twice more likely (Odds Ratio 2.28) to have read for pleasure as an adult in the last 12 months, compared with those who were not encouraged.

Performing in childhood (and engaging in creative activity)

Those encouraged to perform in childhood were almost three times more likely (Odds Ratio 2.91) to have engaged as an adult in a creative activity in the last 12 months, compared with those who were not encouraged.

Performing in childhood (and performing as an adult)

Those who were encouraged to perform in childhood were just under three and a half times more likely (Odds Ratio 3.47) to have performed as an adult in the last 12 months, compared with those who were not encouraged.

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

Theatre Museums andgalleries

Reading Creativeactivity

Performing

The likelihood of cultural participation in adulthood when childhood encouragement was present

Significance for cultural policy in Scotland

• Clear link between exposure to culture as a child and subsequent adult participation/attendance.

• Support for: YMI, Arts Across the Curriculum, Curriculum for Excellence

More information:• Full report:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/12/14144908/11• A Literature Review of the Evidence Base for Culture, The Arts and

Sport Policy. Scottish Government, 2004:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/08/19784/41533• People and Culture in Scotland 2008: Results form the Scottish

Household Survey Culture and Sport Module 2007/2008http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/11/24085939/0