The cultural system is still considered a sort of anomaly within the serial manufacturing paradigm, where everything is measured and evaluated in monetary terms. This has induced many analysts, as well as many public administrations, to investigate on the impact that cultural investments and activities are able to exert upon local economies and communities. Many studies and official reports tend to justify public expenditure for the cultural system in the light of its presumed monetary fallout: income, employment and value added. These are benefits generated by every human activity. The impact of culture should be identified in its unique ability to generate and consolidate social capital, quality of urban life, allocation of human resources, social inclusion, creative atmosphere. No other activity can generate such benefits. Symmetrically, the cultural debate often focuses on the delicate issue of sustainability, following the institutional view based on the dimensions of heritage that we can transmit to next generations. The discussion is centred on material and financial sustainability, and ends up associating the physical preservation to limited (or denied) access to cultural heritage. At the same time, it encourages attractive projects aimed at seducing new audiences. Actually, the cultural value chain is strengthened by cognitive sustainability, which requires an accessible, hospitable and inclusive cultural system.