Breaking barriers to cultural participation in Malta : a focus on young people and music

Abstract

Purpose - The objective of this research is to gather data and analyse it to determine the predominant barriers that Maltese residents, aged 18 till 30, find in order to attend small-scale live music events. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative survey was constructed based on the literature. The questionnaire was distributed through social media and 521 responses were collected. A Pearson’s correlation between the level of attendance and the barriers listed was done to analyse if the barriers had a bigger effect on less frequent attendees than frequent attendees. Findings – Most of the barriers were found to affect less frequent attendees more than frequent attendees. Furthermore, the frequency in engagement in sports activities, in socialising activities and participation in religious activities were not correlated with the frequency of attendance to small-scale live music events. Research limitations/implications - The research focused on 18 till 30 year olds, and so the results might not apply for other age groups. Practical implications – The results provide a guide that indicate which aspects of live music events’ product offering should be changed in order to attract bigger audiences. Originality/value – This study takes a broader look at the barriers to attendance to small-scale live music events than the currently available studies on the subject.