The Council of Europe’s forthcoming Indicator Framework on Culture and Democracy (IFCD) has been tested with policy makers in a number of member states. Overall research results show strong connections between culture and democracy indices and between culture’s role in society and the building of trust, the enhancing of political participation and democratic openness and the maintenance of well-being. Policy makers have suggested exploring further the phenomenon of non-participation in culture and the need for equality of access to cultural activities.

Online participation is an ever more important cultural phenomenon to be taken into account. The new IFCD tool will enable a country’s situation to be described along specific indicators as well as identify opportunities for the best policy investments.