Culture gives citizens a sense of community and integration. According to a new Eurobarometer survey published by the European Commission, citizens strongly support cultural exchange, artistic freedom and fair working conditions for artists. They also call for a stronger EU role to protect heritage and respond to the impact of new technologies.
Culture, our life and our history
87% of respondents agree that culture and cultural exchange should have a very important place in the EU, so that citizens feel more European. 86% say cultural heritage is important for Europe, confirming that culture is valued not only in current life but also as part of the past. A similar percentage of respondents say that culture and the arts are important for welfare and economic development.
Artistic freedom is valued, but perceptions vary
Artistic freedom remains a pillar of democratic societies, and 88% of Europeans said that it matters to them. 77% believe that artists can freely express their ideas and opinions without fear of censorship or retaliation by their government. However, perceptions of artistic freedom vary across Member States.
Almost half of Europeans engage in artistic activities
49% of respondents indicated that they participated in artistic activities in the previous 12 months. This is a significant increase compared to 2013, when the figure stood at 37%.
Citizens express concern about the impact of AI and artists' pay
At the same time, 73% of surveyed Europeans are concerned that the rise of generative AI may have an impact on employment or earnings for artists. Less than half of Europeans (48%) said they could tell the difference between an AI piece of art and one crafted by a human. More broadly, fair pay remains an issue: just 51% say that they believe artists in their country generally receive fair and appropriate remuneration for their work.
Public backs stronger EU role in culture
Europeans also believe their country and the EU should work more closely together on cultural policy matters, with top priorities being:
- making the arts more accessible;
- protecting cultural heritage sites during wars, natural disasters or climate change;
- ensuring artists and cultural workers have fair pay and good working conditions.
Background
The results of today's Special Eurobarometer will help prepare the Culture Compass for Europe, the Commission's upcoming strategic framework for EU cultural policy, which is expected still in 2025. In addition, a call for evidence on the Culture Compass is currently open for feedback until 13 May.
The survey was conducted between February-April 2025 and collected responses from more than 26,300 EU citizens. The full, detailed report as well as fact sheets for each of the 27 EU Member States have been published on the Eurobarometer website today.
