In recognition of the proven social value of the arts and culture, including to health, the UN has declared access to the arts a human right. However, arts engagement remains unequal across society, perhaps because the focus in policy terms is often on exploring and removing individual-level barriers to cultural engagement, rather than addressing the social and societal context that provides the conditions for such barriers.
A new framework, RADIANCE, conceptualises 35 factors that act as determinants of arts engagement at individual, community and societal levels. The framework, developed through literature reviewing and engagement with disciplinary experts, defines each factor and explains their interconnectedness, while also exploring the implications of RADIANCE for research, policy and practice.