Cultural engagement in Scotland 2023: Scottish Household Survey findings

Participation in cultural activities (2023)

In 2023, almost 3 in 4 adults (74%) participated in a cultural activity in the last 12 months.

When reading was excluded, participation was lower at 50%

Reading was the most common activity to participate in: 62% of adults had read at least once in the last 12 months.

Around 1 in 4 (26%) had not participated in a cultural activity in the last 12 months.

Those who read books, poetry or graphic novels or comics for pleasure did so most frequently:

• 77% did so at least once a week
• further 14% read less often than once a week, but at least once a month

In 2023, 74% of adults had participated in a cultural activity^[18], including reading, in the last year. When excluding reading^[19], the most common cultural activity to participate in, 50% of adults had participated in a cultural activity. Unlike attendance, these figures have maintained since 2022. See Table 9.21 in supporting excel workbook.

Figure 7 shows levels of participation by adults in specific cultural activities in the last 12 months for 2023 data. In 2023, reading books, poetry or graphic novels / comics for pleasure (62% of adults), viewing performances online (21%) and crafts (18% of adults) were the most common cultural activities to participate in.

Similar to attendance, participation is widespread but not uniform and there are several activities that very small percentages of the population participate in. Participation levels in all other cultural activities were 11% or less. Over one in four people (26%) had not participated in any cultural activity in the last 12 months.

Participation in individual cultural activities maintained for almost all the individual cultural activities since 2022 (Figure 3 and Table 9.21 in supporting excel workbook).

In 2023, the most common cultural activity to participate in was reading books, poetry or graphic novels or comics for pleasure, with 62% of adults having read in the last year. Of those who read for pleasure, 77% of adults who read books did so at least once a week, and a further 14% read less often than once a week but at least once a month (Table 5 in Annex D Table 9.36 in supporting excel workbook).

Fifty-five percent of those who played a musical instrument or wrote music and sang in a singing group or choir had done so at least once a week.

Respondents had participated in cultural activities more frequently than they had attended or visited cultural events or places of culture. Sixteen percent had attended a library at least once a week (Table 4 in Annex D and Table 9.17 in supporting excel workbook) but, apart from this, attendance at cultural events at least once a week was low. Participation in cultural activities at least once a week ranged from 21% to 77% (Table 5 in Annex D).

Participation in cultural activities by Local Authority

Around three-quarters (74%) of adults in Scotland participated in some form of cultural activity in Scotland in 2023, when including reading. However, levels of cultural participation vary between Local Authorities (Figure 8^[21] and Table 9.21 in supporting excel workbook).

The Local Authorities with the highest percentage of adults who participated in cultural activities in 2023 were Edinburgh, City of; South Ayrshire; Argyll and Bute and East Lothian (all 83%). The percentage of adults who participated in a cultural activity in 2023 was lowest in Inverclyde (53%) and Moray (58%).

Participation, when reading is excluded, was highest in Perth and Kinross (67%); Stirling and Edinburgh, City of (both 62%) and lowest in North Lanarkshire and West Lothian (both 35%).

Participation in cultural activities by population subgroup

Trends at the national level are useful for summarising what is happening overall in Scotland. However, they mask differences between subgroups of the population. This section of the report looks at how cultural participation varies across different population subgroups^[23].

Figure 9 and Figure 10 show that in 2023 participation in activities is higher for:

• Adults with a degree or professional qualification
• Adults living in the 20% least deprived areas
• Adults with a net annual household income of £30,001 or more
• Adults who are gay, lesbian or bisexual
• Women
• Adults with no disability
• Adults living in rural areas
• Older adults when reading is included and younger adults when reading is excluded.

Figure 9: Differences in participation in cultural activities by population subgroup part 1 (2023)

Highest level of qualification

Participation is higher among adults with a degree or professional qualification and lowest for those with no qualifications.

Qualifications not known 46%
No qualifications 52%
Other qualifications 67%
O/Standard grade or equivalent 60%
Higher/A-level or equivalent 77%
HNC/HND or equivalent 78%
Degree or professional 87%

A similar pattern was seen when reading was excluded.

Deprivation

Participation in cultural activities decreased as deprivation, measured by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD 2020), increased.

Quintile 1 (20% most deprived) 60%
Quintile 2 71%
Quintile 3 76%
Quintile 4 79%
Quintile 5 (20% least deprived) 82%

A similar pattern was seen when reading was excluded.

Net annual household income

Participation in cultural activities was highest for adults with a net annual household income of £30,001 or more.

Unknown or low 65%
£30,001 or more 77%
£20,001 to £30,000 72%
£10,001 to £20,000 69%
Up to £10,000 63%

When reading was excluded, difference was greater: 54% of £30,001 or more vs 37% up to £10,000.

Sexual orientation

Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults more likely to have participated in cultural activities compared to heterosexual adults.

85% Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual
73% Heterosexual/Straight

When reading was excluded, difference was over double: 75% of gay, lesbian and bisexual adults vs 49% heterosexual adults.

Figure 10: Differences in participation in cultural activities by population subgroup part 2 (2023)

Sex

More women than men reported having participated in a cultural activity in the last 12 months

79% Women
68% Men

A similar pattern was seen when reading was excluded.

Disability

Cultural participation was slightly lower amongst adults with a disability than adults with no disability

75% Non Disabled
71% Disabled

A similar pattern was seen when reading was excluded.

Age

Participation in cultural activities was higher among adults aged 75 and over than adults aged between 16 and 24 when reading was included.

16-24 68%
25-34 71%
35-44 74%
45-59 75%
60-74 77%
75+ 75%

However, cultural participation decreased with age when reading was excluded: 56% of 16-24 vs 40% of 75+.

Urban rural

Adults living in rural Scotland more likely to participate in cultural activities than adults living in rest of Scotland, when reading was included.

79% Rural Scotland
73% Rest of Scotland

A similar pattern was seen when reading was excluded.  

Highest level of qualification

As shown in Figure 9, participation in cultural activities in 2023 was higher among adults with a degree or professional qualification and lowest for those with no qualifications (87% compared to 52%). When reading was excluded, the pattern was similar (63% compared to 27%) (Table 9.24 in supporting excel workbook and Figure 9).

Whilst there was also a gap in participation between those with a degree or professional qualification and those with no qualifications it was not a large as it was for attendance.

Those with a degree or professional qualification were more likely than those with no qualifications to participate in all individual cultural activities listed in the question in 2023 (Table 9.24 in supporting excel workbook). The biggest difference in participation could be seen for:

• reading books, poetry or graphic novels (77% vs 42%),
• viewing performances online (29% vs 6%) and
• playing a musical instrument or writing music (18% vs 3%).

Deprivation (as measured by Scottish Index Multiple Deprivation 2020)

Figure 9 showed a large difference (22 percentage points) in cultural participation in 2023 between those living in the 20% most deprived areas and the 20% least deprived areas (60% compared to 82%). When reading is excluded, the pattern was similar (37% compared to 58%) (Table 9.25 in supporting excel workbook and Figure 9).

In 2023, adults living in the 20% least deprived areas were more likely than adults living in the 20% most deprived areas to have participated in a number of activities (Table 9.25 in supporting excel workbook) including:

• reading books, poetry or graphic novels / comics for pleasure (73% vs 48%),
• viewing performances online (26% vs 14%) and
• crafts (19% vs 12%).

Net annual household income^[24]

As shown in Figure 9, participation in cultural activities in 2023 was highest for adults with a net annual household income £30,001 or more and lowest for adults with a net annual household income of up to £10,000 (77% compared to 63%). When reading was excluded, the difference was even greater (54% compared to 37%) (Table 9.26 in supporting excel workbook and Figure 9).

There was also a general pattern of attendance increasing as net annual household income increased. This gap in attendance, however, was more pronounced than for participation.

Participation was higher for many individual cultural activities for adults with a net annual household income of £30,001 or more (Table 9.26 in supporting excel workbook). The most marked differences between those with a net annual household income of £30,001 or more and up to £10,000 was seen for:

• viewing performances online (25% vs 10%),
• reading books, poetry or graphic novels (64% vs 54%) and
• playing a musical instrument or written music (13% vs 6%).

However, those with a net annual household income of between £0 and £10,000, and those with a net annual household income of £30,001 or more, were as likely to participate in certain individual activities (e.g. taken part in a theatrical performance, sang in a singing group or choir and painting, drawing, printmaking or sculpture).

Sexual orientation

In 2023, gay, lesbian, and bisexual respondents were more likely to have participated in cultural activities compared to heterosexual adults (85% compared to 73%) (Figure 9). When reading was excluded, the difference in participation was over double (75% compared to 49%) (Table 9.30 in supporting excel workbook and Figure 9).

Table 9.30 in the accompanying excel workbook shows there are differences in participation across a number of cultural activities. The most pronounced differences between gay, lesbian and bisexual adults and heterosexual adults can be seen for:

• viewing performances online (40% compared to 20%) and
• painting, drawing, printmaking or sculpture (29% compared to 11%).

Sex^[25]

Figure 10 showed, more women than men reported having participated in a cultural activity in the last 12 months (79% compared to 68%) in 2023. A similar pattern was seen when reading was excluded, 54% of women had participated in a cultural activity compared to 45% of men (Table 9.22 in supporting excel workbook and Figure 10).

The gap in attendance between women and men was smaller than the gap seen in participation between women and men in 2023.

Whilst levels of participation overall were higher for women, participation did vary by cultural activity. Table 9.22 in supporting excel workbook shows more women than men participated in a number of cultural activities including:

• crafts (27% vs 8%),
• reading (70% vs 54%) and
• dance (13% vs 5%).

Men, however, had higher participation rates than women in other cultural activities including:

• playing a musical instrument or writing music (14% vs 9%) and
• photography (8% vs 5%).

Disability^[26]

As we can see in Figure 10, cultural participation in 2023 was slightly lower amongst those with a disability than those without (71% compared to 75%). The same pattern was seen when reading was excluded (48% compared to 51%) (Table 9.27 in supporting excel workbook and Figure 10).

Whilst there were differences in participation between disabled adults and non-disabled adults the gap in participation was less stark than for attendance at cultural events or places.

Participation varied by individual cultural activity (Table 9.27 in supporting excel workbook). Participation was higher for non-disabled adults compared to disabled adults in a number of activities including:

• dance (10% vs 6%) and
• viewing performances online (22% vs 18%).

Unlike the overall participation figure, those with a disability were actually more likely thank those without a disability to participate in:

• crafts (21% vs 17%).

Urban rural

As we can see in Figure 10, cultural participation in 2023 was higher amongst adults living in rural Scotland compared to those living in rest of Scotland (79% compared to 73%). The same pattern was seen when reading was excluded (55% compared to 49%) (Table 9.34 in supporting excel workbook and Figure 10).

This pattern was not seen for attendance at cultural events or places in 2023.

Despite the overall figure, levels of participation varied only for reading books, poetry, graphic novels or comics and crafts (Table 9.34 in supporting excel workbook). Participation in these activities was higher for adults living in rural Scotland compared to adults living in rest of Scotland:

• reading books, poetry or graphic novels / comics for pleasure (68% vs 61%) and
• crafts (25% vs 17%).

Participation in the remaining activities was similar for adults living in rest of Scotland and rural Scotland.

Age

Unlike in 2022, adults aged 75 and over were more likely to have participated in a cultural activity (75%) than adults aged 16 to 24 (68%), when including reading, in 2023 (Figure 10). However, when reading was excluded, adults aged 16 to 24 were far more likely to participate in cultural activities than those aged 75 and over (56% compared to 40%) (Table 9.23 in supporting excel workbook and Figure 10).

The higher rate of participation of adults aged 75 and over, when reading is included, reflects fact that adults aged 75 and over were far more likely to read books, poetry or graphic novels than those aged 16 to 24 (68% and 52% respectively).

Adults aged 75 and over were also more likely to participate in crafts (21% and 11% respectively) (Table 9.23 in supporting excel workbook).

Apart from singing in a singing group or a choir or other cultural activities, where participation was the same, adults aged 16 to 24 were more likely to participate the remaining cultural activities (Table 9.23 in supporting excel workbook). The biggest difference in participation between adults aged 16 to 24 and 75 and over was seen for:

• viewing performances online (27% vs 6%) and
• played a musical instrument or written music (21% vs 5%).

For further breakdowns on participation in cultural activities see the supporting excel workbooks to this report.

Aspirations of participation in cultural activities

Respondents who had participated in a cultural activity in the last 12 months were asked whether there were any cultural activities that they would like to participate in more often or because they had not done so, in the last 12 months. Respondents who had not reported participating in any cultural activities in the last 12 months were asked what activities they would like to participate in.

In 2023, the majority of both those who had participated, as well as those who had not participated in cultural activities in the last 12 months, responded ‘none’ (77% and 92% respectively) (Table 9.37 and Table 9.38 in supporting excel workbook).

Of those who had participated in a cultural activity in the last 12 months, 8% wanted to read a book, poetry or graphic novel / comics for pleasure more often or participate in this activity. This was followed by playing a musical instrument or writing music and crafts (both 5%) (Table 9.37 in supporting excel workbook).

Of those who had not participated in a cultural activity in the last 12 months, 3% wanted to read a book, poetry or graphic novel / comic for pleasure. This was followed by crafts (2%) (Table 9.38 in supporting excel workbook).

Factors limiting or preventing participation in activities

Respondents were asked what, if anything, limits or prevents people from participating in cultural activities. The question was asked of all adults, both those who had participated in cultural activities in the last 12 months and those who had not.

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’. The percentage of adults reporting these factors has decreased, from 14% and 5% respectively, since 2022 (Table 9.39 in supporting excel workbook).

Recent qualitative research found that there are a range of factors that can impact on someone’s ability to do the things that they would like to do in their free time. This expands what we know from the SHS. Respondents described issues relating to their personal perceptions and circumstances, accessibility issues, and wider social and structural issues that may limit opportunities available to them.