NMDC argues that measures of well-being must include cultural engagement 10 Feb 2012
NMDC has argued that cultural engagement is a crucial element of individual, community and national well-being and should be included in the Government's indicators for measuring national wellbeing. In our response to the Office of National Statistics' consultation, NMDC emphasised that arts, culture and heritage have a profound contribution to make in terms of well-being and urged that they are included in the headline measures.
Whilst culture and heritage are mentioned in the explanatory text for the proposed ‘Where we live’ domain of measures of well-being, NMDC believes that they would be better categorised as part of ‘What we do’. This would reflect the importance of cultural participation, which people may engage in outside their local area, rather than the location of cultural or heritage venues.
NMDC proposes that the DCMS Taking Part survey, which provides robust data on cultural participation, would be the most straightforward measure of the cultural sector’s contribution to national well-being. Office of National Statistics