Cultural innovation is a research concept and phenomenon describing the emergence, diffusion, and adoption of novel ideas, practices, artifacts, or forms within a cultural system, signifying a departure from existing norms and contributing to cultural change. As a field, it investigates the processes, mechanisms, and factors that drive or impede the generation and spread of cultural novelty, including the interplay between individual creativity and collective acceptance, the role of social networks and institutions, and the influence of contextual factors. Its significance lies in understanding cultural evolution, adaptation, and diversity by examining how societies generate and integrate new elements into their repertoires.