Participation in cultural life significantly lower in 2022
Data compiled by the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia (CSB) show that due to COVID-19 restrictions people participated in cultural life, i.e., attended live performances and sports events, visited cultural sites, or went to cinema, notably less in 2022.
In 2022, 31.3 % of population aged 16 and over had visited cultural sites at least once, which is 13 percentage points fewer than in 2015 when CSB surveyed population about social and cultural participation previously. Even steeper decline was registered in the share of people who had attended live performances – from 52.4 % in 2015 to 23.1 % in 2022. The share of people who had attended live sports events has dropped from 33.5 % to 12.4 % and of those who went to cinema from 31.9 % to 14.4 %.
Restrictions on gatherings and caution to make social contacts were among the main reasons for not participating in cultural life last year. Because of the COVID-19, 37.9 % of people did not attend live performances, 32.6 % did not visit cultural sites and 22.3 % did not go to cinema and attend live sports events.
Share of people who attended cultural performances/sites and sports events and reasons for not attending thereof; 2022
(population aged 16 and over who during the past 12 months attended an event/cinema, visited cultural site at least once, per cent)
Cinema | Live performances | Cultural sites | Live sports events | |
Total | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
Attended | 14.4 | 23.1 | 31.3 | 12.4 |
Main reason for not attending |
|
|
|
|
because of COVID-19 | 22.3 | 37.9 | 32.6 | 22.3 |
cannot afford it | 4.5 | 9.5 | 8.6 | 3.6 |
lack of interest | 11.8 | 17.5 | 16.3 | 33.0 |
no objects/performances nearby | 10.2 | 3.7 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
lack of time | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.6 | 2.9 |
other reason | 32.8 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 23.4 |
Refer to the OSP: MOD15_01
Cinema and cultural sites more popular in Riga while live performances and sports events in Pierīga
Regional breakdown of the survey results shows that residents of Riga more commonly went to cinema (24.5 %) and visited cultural sites (43.1 %) while residents of Pierīga mainly attended live performances (33.0 %) and live sports events (20.7 %). Residents of other regions participated in cultural life less. The lowest cinema attendance was observed in Zemgale and Latgale (4.5 % and 3.2 %, respectively), attendance of live performances in Zemgale (12.2 %) while of live sports events in Latgale and Zemgale (7.4 % and 5.9 %, respectively).
Young people have more active cultural life
In 2022 life performances and sports events as well as cinema and cultural sites more commonly were attended by people in the age group 16–24 (incl.). Compared to other age groups, young people more frequently went to cinema (38.7 %) and attended live sports events (30.1 %). Among elderly (people aged 65 and over), just a small share of people attended cinema and live sports events (2.4 % and 2.8 %, respectively). Smaller gap was registered between those attending live performances and cultural sites. Live performances were attended by 12.0 % of elderly (aged 65+) and 32.8 % of youngsters (aged 16–24) while cultural sites by 15.8 % and 44.7 %, respectively.
Just one in nine people severely limited because of a health problem attended live performances
Out of the people aged 25–49 and not limited in activities people usually do, 41.4 % at least once during the last 12 months visited cultural sites and 30.5 % attended live performances. Among people in the same age group but severely limited in activities people usually do, only 19.5 % visited cultural sites and 11.6 % attended live performances.
More statistics for cultural participation is available on the official statistics portal.
Information on cultural participation was acquired in the 2022 survey on population income and living conditions (EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC)) conducted by the CSB from 30 January to 18 July. The survey covered 10.3 thousand respondents aged 16 and over living in 5.8 thousand households. Information on cultural participation was collected by surveying household members aged at least 16 at the end of 2021.
Methodological explanations
Live performance – an organised event (theatre play, concert, opera, ballet, dance performance, etc.), whether performed by professionals or amateurs.
Live sports event – an organised sports game or competition, whether the participants thereof are professionals or amateurs.
Media requests:
Communication Section
E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666
More information on data:
Social Statistics Data Compilation and Analysis Section
Viktors Veretjanovs
E-mail: Viktors.Veretjanovs@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366609
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