The aims of this reports were: to investigate the association between sport participation and cultural engagement and a range of social outcomes (e.g. on measures of health, education, employment and civic participation), and to explore indicative financial values associated with identified social impacts of engagement in culture and sport.

This helped DCMS assess impacts on public sector costs savings, and linking their policies with social impacts.

Key findings were: Health impacts – those engaging with the arts were 5.4% more likely to report good health. Sports participants were 14.1% more likely to report good health. Education impacts – participants in arts are 14.1% more likely to report an intention to go on to further education. Economic productivity – unemployed people who engage with the arts were 12% (and sports 11%) more likely to have looked for a job in the last four weeks when compared with unemployed people who had not engaged with the arts. Civic participation impacts – people who engage with the arts are 6% (and sports 3%) more likely to have volunteered frequently. Charity – those who engage with the arts gave £50 (and sports £25) per person more in charitable donations over the last year.

Fujiwara, D., Kudrna, L., & Dolan, P. (2014). Quantifying the social impacts of culture and sport. London: Department for Culture, Media & Sport.