Cultural engagement in Scotland 2023: Scottish Household Survey findings

Summary of main points

This report draws on key data from the Scottish Household Survey (SHS, 2023) to explore cultural engagement, attendance and participation at a national level in Scotland alongside additional detail across various protected and socioeconomic characteristics.

Cultural engagement

• The latest data (2023) from SHS shows us that cultural engagement in Scotland is high. Just under nine in ten (88%) adults were culturally engaged either having attended or visited a cultural event or place or having participated in a cultural activity in the last 12 months. This figure has maintained since 2022.
• Levels of cultural engagement, attendance and participation vary between Local Authorities. These differences are likely to be related to a range of factors including the urban/rural split, social and cultural infrastructure, access to services, events and places and differences among the people who live in these areas.

Attendance at cultural events and places of culture

• In 2023, 76% of adults had attended a cultural event or place of culture (an increase from 74% in 2022). When excluding cinema, the most common cultural event to attend, 69% of adults had attended a cultural event or place of culture in the last year. This has increased from 65% in 2022.
• The most popular form of cultural attendance was going to the cinema (50%), followed by attendance at live music events (36%) and visits to historic places (33%). The library was the most frequently visited cultural event or place.
• In 2023, differences in attendance between population subgroups are particularly noticeable for adults with no qualifications, for older adults, those with a net annual household income of up to £10,000, those with a disability, adults permanently retired from work and those living in the most deprived areas of Scotland.
• The gap in rates of attendance, in many subgroups, (including by age, income, disability and education) is bigger than the gap in participation. This highlights that there are a range of individual and systemic factors that play a part in someone’s ability and opportunity to attend publicly funded cultural events and places.
• Respondents were asked about their aspirations for attendance. People who had attended cultural events and places in the last 12 months were more likely to aspire to attend cultural events more often than those who had not attended any in the last 12 months (40% compared to 27%).
• In 2023, the most frequently cited factors limiting or preventing people from attending cultural events and places were a ‘lack of time’ (14%) followed by ‘cost of tickets’ (12%). The percentage of people that cited ‘lack of time’ has decreased from 16% in 2022.

Participation in cultural activities

• In 2023, 74% of adults had participated in a cultural activity. When excluding reading, the most common cultural activity to participate in, 50% of adults had participated in a cultural activity in the last year. Unlike attendance, these figures have maintained since 2022.
• The most popular form of cultural participation was reading books, poetry or graphic novels or comics for pleasure (62%), followed by viewing performances online (21%) and crafts (18%). A high proportion of people participate in activities such as reading, singing in a choir and playing a musical instrument at least once a week.
• In 2023, differences in participation between population subgroups are particularly noticeable for adults with no qualifications, those living in the most deprived areas of Scotland, those with a net annual household income of up to £10,000, men and those with a disability.
• Respondents were asked about their aspirations for participation. The majority of both those who had participated in some form of cultural activity, as well as those who had not participated in cultural activities in the last 12 months, responded ‘none’ (77% and 92% respectively).
• In 2023, the most frequently cited factor limiting or preventing people from participating in cultural activities was a ‘lack of time’ (12%). While four percent said they had ‘just did not get round to it’.

Satisfaction with Local Authority cultural services

• In 2023, there were high levels of satisfaction among service users^[1] with Local Authority cultural services. Around nine out of ten users were satisfied with Local Authority libraries (91%), museums and galleries (90%), and theatres and just under nine of out ten were satisfied with concert halls (88%).
• Satisfaction with theatres and concert halls has increased (from 85% in 2022 to 88% in 2023) as has satisfaction with museums and galleries (87% in 2022 to 90% in 2023). Satisfaction with libraries has maintained since 2022.

Impact of culture and heritage

• Findings from the SHS indicate that in 2023, almost half of adults (47%) agreed that culture and the arts make a positive difference to their life. Over half (51%) agreed that culture and the arts make a positive difference to their local community.
• Of the respondents who agreed that culture and the arts make a positive difference to their life, 71% reported that culture and the arts makes them feel happy or they are something they really enjoy.

Summary

• In 2023, cultural engagement in Scotland was high. Most adults have attended a cultural event or place or participated in a cultural activity in the last 12 months.
• Attendance at cultural events or places has increased since 2022. The biggest increases in attendance were for attendance at theatres and live music events. However, the overall figures for attendance are still a little lower than before the pandemic (2019). In particular, the proportion attending the cinema (the most common type of attendance) has decreased from 58% in 2019 to 50% in 2023.^[2]
• This is likely to be related to people’s choices, preferences and available opportunities. A lack of time and the cost were frequently cited factors as to why people do not attend cultural events or places or participate in cultural activities. These issues were also raised in a recent open-text survey (qualitative research). Respondents referred to issues relating to cost and time but also issues relating to their personal perceptions and circumstances and barriers relating to the geographical, built and social environment.
• Cultural engagement is not evenly distributed across Scotland, and there are large disparities between Local Authorities and population subgroups. Variation in levels of attendance and participation between Local Authorities is likely to be related to a range of factors including the urban/rural split, social and cultural infrastructure, access to services, events and places and differences/ preferences among the people who live in these areas.
• The principle of equity of access is central to the Culture Strategy, recognising that the opportunity to participate in culture is a human right and barriers should be removed, where possible, for those who can be disproportionately affected.