Italy's 2018 DEF Excludes Culture from Well-Being Indicators

The 2018 Document of Economy and Finance (DEF), published on June 19, largely confirmed existing policies, offering no new affirmative direction for cultural and creative sectors. A notable inclusion was the 'Equitable and Sustainable Well-being' (BES) indicators, aiming to move beyond GDP. However, the only cultural dimension within BES is the 'index of illegal building,' which monitors landscape and cultural heritage deterioration. Other cultural indicators from ISTAT—such as municipal spending on cultural heritage and museum density—are absent. The DEF references the 2017 World Happiness Report, where Italy ranked 48th out of 155 countries, behind Uzbekistan and Ecuador. The article argues that excluding culture from well-being metrics questions its perceived role in national strategy. Analysis of the 2017 National Reform Programme and the 2018-2020 Budget Law shows culture linked primarily to tourism and education, but the new government may shift tourism from Mibact to agriculture. The National Operational Programme (PON) Culture, funded through the EU Cohesion Fund, allocates €360 million for cultural endowments and €114 million for development territories, suggesting Italy adapts to EU funding opportunities rather than pursuing a strategic vision. The author, Stefano Monti, critiques this reactive approach as ineffective.