Europeans’ attitudes towards culture : special Eurobarometer 562

The Special Eurobarometer 562 shows that 87% of respondents agree that culture and cultural exchange should have a very important place in the EU, in addition 86% say cultural heritage is important for Europe. 88% of Europeans say that artistic freedom matters to them, and 77% believe that artists can freely express their ideas and opinions. 49% of the respondents indicate that they participated in artistic activities in the previous 12 months, either on their own or as part of a group (+12 pp compared to 2013). 73% of Europeans are concerned that the rise of generative AI may have an impact on employment or earnings for artists. At the same time, less 48% say they could tell the difference between an AI piece of art and one crafted by a human. Europeans believe their country and the EU should work more closely together on cultural policy matters, making the arts more accessible, protecting cultural heritage sites during wars, natural disasters or climate change, and ensuring artists and cultural workers have fair pay and good working conditions are the top three priorities.