We often assume that culture, especially highbrow culture, is a luxury reserved for those who can afford it. Opera tickets, gallery openings, theatre premieres: it is easy to imagine them as playgrounds of the wealthy. Yet new research by Joe Gladstone and Silvia Bellezza suggests that money is not the main key to those doors.

Building on the work of Pierre Bourdieu, the researchers examined three kinds of capital that shape participation in cultural life: economic, cultural and social. Economic capital is obvious: the means to pay for tickets and travel. Cultural capital refers to the knowledge, education and familiarity that help you understand what you see or hear. Social capital concerns networks and belonging. For example, the friends who invite you to a concert or make you feel at home in a museum.

Across large studies in the United Kingdom and the United States, the findings were remarkably consistent. Cultural and social capital matter much more than money. In Britain, cultural capital, such as education, vocabulary, and parental background, was the strongest predictor of attending concerts, galleries, and the theatre. In the United States, social capital, including networks and professional connections, played a bigger role. Financial means helped a little. However, it was mainly to cover the basic costs.

What makes this research so interesting is that it challenges the comforting idea that widening access to culture is mostly a matter of lowering ticket prices. The real barriers are often less visible. It is one thing to afford an opera ticket, quite another to feel confident that you belong there or to understand what is happening on stage. Knowledge and social context make cultural experiences meaningful. They are not just accessible.

There is also a hopeful side. The study found that these forms of capital can compensate for each other. Someone with limited financial resources but strong social ties may still find their way to cultural events. Meanwhile, education can help bridge social distance. There is more than one path to participation, provided the doors are open and the welcome is genuine.

For policymakers and cultural institutions, the message is clear. To achieve broader engagement, we must build both social and cultural capital. That means arts education in schools and community programmes that connect people around shared experiences. It also includes institutions that make newcomers feel at ease. Money still matters, but it is not the only currency that counts.

Image: https://pixnio.com/nl/media/theater-opera-koningin-koning-kostuum