In our research, we explore how proximity to cultural institutions influences neighbourhood cultural participation. Using GPS data from six major French cities, we reveal that while distance matters, socio-economic factors like education and income play a more significant role. 
Why do some neighborhoods engage more with cultural institutions than others?
Imagine you’re living in a bustling city. You might assume that living near cultural treasures, such as the ones in Paris, guarantees frequent visits, but the reality is more complex. In our research, we set out to explore a question that has rarely been addressed in previous cultural research: Does proximity to cultural institutions truly drive participation, or is something else at play?
Our journey began with an innovative dataset containing GPS records from hundreds of thousands of people in Paris, Lyon, Nantes, Rennes, Marseille, and Nice. Instead of relying on traditional surveys, which often miss real-world behaviors, we followed digital footprints as people moved from their homes to theaters, libraries, galleries and more. It felt like watching cities breathe through their cultural heartbeats.
How did we do it?
To expand on the methodology of our research, we employed an innovative approach utilizing high-frequency location-based (HFLB) data, commonly known as GPS data. Our dataset covered six major French cities: Paris, Lyon, Nantes, Rennes, Marseille, and Nice, for the year 2017. This dataset provided granular insights into human mobility patterns by recording the movements of anonymised users as they traveled from their residential areas to cultural institutions. We identified these cultural visits using OpenStreetMap (OSM) tags to classify points of interest (POIs) such as museums, theaters, libraries, and heritage sites.
In analysing the relationship between cultural consumption and spatial distance, we introduced a proximity measure inspired by the 15-minute city concept. For each neighbourhood, defined at the IRIS zone level, we calculated the average walking time to reach the 20 nearest cultural institutions. This metric served as a spatial indicator of access to cultural amenities. To account for spatial dependence, we employed a Spatial Lag Model, integrating distance-based spatial weights to capture potential spillover effects of cultural engagement between adjacent neighborhoods. Our findings revealed a nuanced interplay between spatial proximity and socio-economic variables, highlighting how human capital and income levels propagate their influence across space. This innovative use of GPS and OSM data provided a more dynamic understanding of cultural participation patterns and their underlying determinants, contributing to the growing field of cultural economics with a spatial perspective.
What Did We Discover?
Distance shapes, but doesn’t rule: As expected, people living closer to cultural institutions visited more frequently. However, the story didn’t end there.
The unfortunate power of education and income: Neighborhoods with more educated and middle-income residents showed the highest cultural engagement. But here’s the twist: as income rose beyond a certain point, participation began to decline. Why? The answer lies in the way French cities are structured. Wealthier residents often live in suburban enclaves, further away from the city’s cultural quarters, often concentrated in central areas.
What does this mean for our cities?
Urban planners often assume that building more theaters or galleries in underserved areas will automatically boost engagement. But our findings tell a richer story: Proximity matters, but breaking down socio-economic barriers matters more. Increasing cultural access is not just about geography, it’s about opportunity, education, and social inclusion.
A call to action for policymakers
With insights from big data, urban planners have a new tool to design more inclusive cultural landscapes. Imagine using GPS trends to pinpoint where new venues would have the greatest impact or tailoring outreach programs to neighbourhoods with untapped cultural potential. But beyond location, policies must address deeper issues, such as supporting arts education and making cultural experiences affordable for all.
The road ahead
As we refine this research, we hope it sparks a broader conversation: How can cities harness both space and opportunity to weave culture into everyday life? Because in the end, cultural participation isn’t just about crossing a street. It is about crossing barriers of access and belonging.
Main References
Brook, O. (2016). Spatial equity and cultural participation: how access influences attendance at museums and galleries in London. Cultural Trends, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09548963.2015.1134098
Katz-Gerro, T. (2004). Cultural consumption research: review of methodology, theory, and consequence. International Review of Sociology, 14(1), 11–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/0390670042000186743
Moldavanova, A. V., Meloche, L., & Thompson, T. L. (2021). Understanding the geography of access to cultural amenities: The case of Metropolitan Detroit. Journal of Urban Affairs, 44(4–5), 614–639. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2021.1886856
About the Article
Biferale, L., Brandano, M.G., Crociata, A. et al. The spatial dimensions of cultural consumption: how distance influences consumption levels in a spatial setting. J Cult Econ 48, 499–525 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-024-09506-0
About the authors
Lorenzo Biferale is PhD student at Gran Sasso Science Institute – Social Sciences, L’Aquila, Italy and Research fellow at Sony Computer Science Laboratories Rome.
Maria Giovanna Brandano is Associate Professor of Applied Economics at Gran Sasso Science Institute – Social Sciences, L’Aquila, Italy.
Alessandro Crociata is Full Professor of Applied Economics at University of Chieti-Pescara – Department of Philosophical, Pedagogical and Economic-Quantitative Sciences.
Hygor Piaget Monteiro Melo is Associate Researcher at Sony Computer Science Laboratories Rome and Assistant Professor at Postgraduate Program in Applied Informatics, University of Fortaleza.l
About the image
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