Meanings of Cultural Participation at the Neighborhood Level: A Focus Group Analysis

In February and March 2004, Research for Action conducted three focus groups in North Philadelphia and Camden, NJ to shed light on the meanings of cultural participation in these low-income urban neighborhoods. Participants were recruited through neighborhood associations, senior centers, and churches to engage residents who were active in the community but not closely affiliated with arts and cultural organizations. The focus groups were designed to reveal how residents define cultural participation, the range of cultural activities in which they participate, how they express themselves creatively, and the barriers to cultural participation in these neighborhoods.