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Study on the discoverability of diverse European cultural content in the digital environment

Commissioned by the European Commission under the EU Work Plan for Culture 2023–2026, this study examines how European cultural content is discovered and accessed in today’s digital environment. It assesses the current state of online discoverability of diverse European cultural works, with particular attention to the role of platforms, curation, and recommender systems, and identifies emerging challenges and areas for policy action. The study focuses primarily on the music and book sectors. Other cultural sectors are addressed more selectively, while the audiovisual sector falls outside the scope of the study. The research combines desk research, sectoral analysis, and data mapping with extensive stakeholder engagement, including interviews, focus groups, and a workshop. A Europe-wide consumer survey of over 400 participants provided additional insights into user experiences. Quantitative analyses examined consumption patterns, curation practices, algorithmic recommendations, and metadata in the music and book sectors. Academic and methodological rigour was ensured through expert peer review by a Scientific Board.

In an increasingly digital cultural landscape, where audiences encounter music, films, books, and other creative works primarily online, discoverability has become a decisive factor in shaping what is seen, heard, and valued. Put simply, discoverability determines whether a cultural work can rise above the digital noise to be noticed, accessed, and engaged with by audiences. For Europe’s rich cultural and linguistic diversity, this is no longer a peripheral concern but a central condition for visibility and access in the digital age.
At the same time, Europe’s cultural and creative industries are operating in a fast-evolving environment shaped by digitalisation, intensifying global competition, and the growing power of large online platforms. While these platforms open unprecedented pathways to global audiences, they also introduce new structural challenges. Algorithmic curation, limited transparency, and control over data can shape cultural consumption in opaque ways, while market concentration, content saturation, potential bias in recommendation systems, and the rapid rise of AI-generated content further complicate the ecosystem.
Against this backdrop, safeguarding cultural and linguistic diversity online has emerged as a pressing policy priority at international, European, and national levels. Europe has long championed cultural diversity, as reflected in UNESCO conventions and EU treaties. Yet policy efforts have traditionally focused on supporting the production and availability of diverse cultural content. Today, policymakers increasingly recognise that being available is no longer enough: discoverability has become the next critical frontier. This shift