Has Culture Become a Luxury?
Culture has long been considered a vital part of society; a shared experience that brings people together through music, film, theatre, creative endeavours and art. However, as ticket prices soar and the cost-of-living crisis tightens its grip, a question arises: is culture becoming a luxury that only the privileged can afford? In the UK, the increasing expense of cinema trips, concert tickets, and theatre performances is making cultural engagement feel more like an exclusive experience rather than an accessible right. This shift raises concerns about the future of cultural participation and whether it risks becoming the domain of the wealthy.
The True Price of Cultural Access
The cost of cultural experiences in the UK has risen dramatically in recent years. A standard adult cinema ticket now often exceeds £10, and premium screenings can push the price past £20. Meanwhile, West End theatre tickets frequently cost over £80, with prime seats reaching well into the hundreds. Concert tickets have seen even steeper increases, with major artists charging upwards of £100 for standard admission, often before factoring in travel and accommodation costs for those outside of major cities. Even local arts events and music gigs, once a more affordable alternative, are seeing rising ticket prices due to increased operational costs and post-pandemic recovery efforts.
This inflation in cultural costs is particularly stark when compared to other European countries. In The Netherlands, for example, subsidised cinema tickets are still available for under €10, and national theatre and concert venues often receive state support, keeping prices relatively accessible. While high-end experiences remain costly everywhere, the Dutch model highlights how government support can keep culture open to all, rather than locking out those on lower incomes.
The Cost of Living Crisis and the Public Funding Crisis
The UK’s ongoing cost of living crisis has forced many households to prioritise essentials like rent, food, and energy bills over cultural engagement. When faced with the choice between attending a gig or affording heating, culture becomes a non-essential luxury. Data suggests that cultural participation is declining among lower-income groups, with fewer people attending the theatre, concerts, and even cinemas compared to a decade ago.
Subscription-based services like Netflix and Spotify have helped to maintain access to films and music, but they do not replicate the communal experience of live performance or the immersive nature of a cinema screening. While these platforms offer affordable entertainment, they also risk reinforcing a passive relationship with culture rather than active participation in shared cultural moments.
In the past, government funding and subsidies helped to maintain accessible cultural experiences in the UK. However, arts funding has been steadily cut, with many venues and organisations struggling to survive. Public institutions such as the National Theatre still offer discounted tickets, but such initiatives are increasingly rare and often come with limited availability. The Netherlands, by contrast, has maintained stronger public funding for the arts, ensuring that cultural experiences remain financially feasible for a larger proportion of the population.
The UK could benefit from similar approaches, such as expanding arts subsidies, reducing VAT on cultural tickets, and investing in regional venues to decentralise cultural access beyond London. Without intervention, cultural spaces risk becoming financially unviable, or worse, elitist enclaves where only those who can afford the rising costs can participate.
The Future of Cultural Engagement?
The danger of pricing people out of cultural experiences is not just about exclusion; it also affects the cultural landscape itself. If access is limited to those who can afford it, we risk losing diverse voices and perspectives in the arts. Theatres, concert halls, and cinemas thrive on broad participation and fresh talent, but if only the privileged can engage, we may see a narrowing of artistic expression and innovation. At a time when Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility initiatives are constantly under siege, it’s such an important space to allow all voices to be heard.
Despite these challenges, grassroots movements and independent artists are working to maintain affordable access. Community-led initiatives, pay-what-you-can performances, and local festivals offer some hope for inclusive cultural experiences. However, without systemic change, these efforts may struggle to counteract the broader trend of cultural exclusivity.
Living between Amsterdam and London there is a stark difference between the access to culture in the two major European capitals. London, with such amazing cultural landscape makes it difficult to enjoy culture when forking a few hundreds to see one single show, and whilst international shows in Amsterdam can also sometimes be on the expensive side, there are so many ways in which you can still access events easily, either with yearly passes, such as their famous Museum Card, which allows for free entry to museums across the country, or the Cineville Card, an international person’s best friend for navigating all the cinema options available. On top of that many venues offer ways to enjoy their shows for less, or even volunteer to be part of their staff for the night. Cultural activities in Dutch are of course more prevalent, but for a space where the main language is not English, the offer in terms of culture for such a small capital city is very wide. London could definitely learn a thing or two about making culture more accessible, but the entirety of the UK could definitely look at not cutting funding and at putting their money where their mouth is.
There is a ‘famous’ saying that is consistently appearing on ‘quote of the day’ Pinterest boards, but that I find very appropriate for this conversation, which says that ‘the earth without art is just eh’, which exemplifies what the wider lack of cultural knowledge and access can bring to the world. This isn’t saying to defund something else to fund the arts, but having access to art and culture and creative endeavours develops critical thinking and the ability to not only see something from one side, but to analyze it from the prism of your own ideas and feelings. And no other space offers this kind of an ability, or superpower. It is such an important topic to not lose access to, but if only people from inside the arts fight for it, it will become more and more difficult for their voices to be heard over the noise of everything else that seems to not be going well in the world.
Arts are always seen as trivial parts of our existence, but creative industries are part of everyday life and provide mental stimulation and the ability to see things from multiple perspectives, while developing your brain. Whoever says that the arts don’t belong in other places has never looked beyond their tiny parcel of existence. Art and creative industries and cultural events are everywhere, from that seemingly simple white t-shirt you put on this morning, to the colour of your laptop, to how cells look when they are put under the microscope. Everything we do is art, and art is everywhere, and we have to not forget that.
Culture should not be a luxury; it should be a fundamental part of society, enriching lives and bringing people together. Yet, in the UK, rising costs are making cultural engagement increasingly difficult for many. Comparing the UK with other Western European countries, particularly The Netherlands, shows that different funding models can help maintain accessibility. If we fail to address these financial barriers, we risk creating a society where culture is no longer a shared experience but a privilege reserved for those who can afford it.
Written by Andra Maier
