According to the “Cultural Consumption Barometer 2022: Cultural Participation and Democratic Perspectives” presented by the National Institute for Cultural Research and Training (INCFC), approximately 80% of Romanians have never been to the theatre, 70% have never stepped into a museum, exhibition, or art gallery, 83% have not visited a library, and 90% have never had the opportunity to attend a classical music concert.
According to the study’s authors, the pandemic has continued to affect cultural participation, leading to a decrease in participation rates in all cultural domains. On the other hand, the use of social networks has increased significantly.
The data provided confirms the trends observed during the pandemic, with a strong emphasis on online cultural consumption and private settings. The only significant increase was recorded in visits to historical monuments or archaeological sites, with an additional 14 percentage points (59% in 2022, compared to 45% in 2019).
In contrast, all forms of cultural consumption have declined:
- Attendance at theater performances has decreased from 29% in 2019 to 20% in 2022.
Movie theater attendance has decreased from 35% in 2019 to 26% in 2022.
Visits to libraries to read or borrow books have decreased from 28% in 2019 to 17% in 2022.
Visits to museums, exhibitions, or art galleries have decreased from 38% in 2019 to 30% in 2022.
The decline in public cultural event participation is also due to an increase in barriers to cultural access, which are encountered by all consumer categories.
“The barriers identified as increasing in recent years and accentuated after the pandemic period are barriers to cultural reception. Solutions to overcome these barriers include stimulating interest in culture and understanding cultural and artistic products through continuous education for children, youth, and adults,” the analysis states.