This paper questions the configurations in which contemporary European cultural policies attribute explicit positive values to culture. It begins with a reflection on the meaning of value, before identifying, through the analysis of a corpus of scientific articles, books and research reports as well as press articles, the numerous values identifiable in the history of cultural policies. From this collection, we propose a principle of classification into five major families of values: democracy, identity, well-being, aesthetics and economy. Finally, we describe the dynamics of emergence and transformation of the values attributed to culture in historical configurations, through three examples: the valuation of heritage, the conflicts over the values of democracy, and the values underpinning the concept of sustainable development. Our exploratory research shows that values already present in the twentieth century are becoming increasingly important in cultural policies, without taking precedence over values with which they can compete or, on the contrary, find a form of compatibility.