Culture Statistics 2018

This publication provides updated figures and information on culture. The main purpose of the publication is to present an overview of available statistics on various aspects of culture in Norway. A selection of some main results within culture in this publication is given below.

Public expenditure

Governmental expenditure on cultural purposes in the Ministry of Culture’s budget for 2018 was NOK 14 billion. The corresponding figure in the county authorities and local authorities was NOK 1.6 billion and NOK 12.9 billion respectively.

Employment and enterprises in cultural industries

A total of 3 per cent of all employed persons in Norway had their main job within the cultural industries in 2018. Oslo has the largest share by a large margin, with 41 per cent of all employment in the cultural and creative industries.

Cultural policy instruments

In 2018, Arts Council Norway allocated NOK 949 million from the Norwegian Cultural Fund to several cultural purposes. Music received the most; 40 per cent of the Norwegian Cultural Fund. In 2018, visual artists made up the largest group of recipients under the Government Grants for Artists scheme, receiving a total of 541 grants.

Music and theatre

Theatre, opera and dance are still popular attractions within the field of performing arts. In 2018, music institutions held over 1 300 concerts for a total of 639 000 audience members. A total of 2.2 million people went to the theatre and/or opera. This was an increase of 5 per cent from the previous year.

Museums

In 2018, about 10.9 million people visited Norwegian museums, which had a total of about 57.4 million objects.

Libraries

In 2018, a total of 11.9 million books were loaned from public libraries, with an average of 2.2 loans per capita.

Films and cinemas

In 2018, a total of 12.1 million cinema visits were registered. This is an increase from the previous year, when 11.8 million people visited Norwegian cinemas. The cinema visits correspond to 2.3 per capita.

Sound and vision

On an average day, the share of the population who listened to the radio in 2018 was 50 per cent. The share of the population who watched ordinary TV was 60 per cent, whereas in 2008, the share was 80 per cent.

Sports

At the end of 2018, 1.9 million memberships were registered with the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports. The number of teams has increased, and is now over 8 000.

Children and youth

In 2018, 13 per cent of all children aged 6-15 were pupils at culture schools. In connection with the Cultural School Bag, 47 000 events were held at primary and lower secondary schools, while upper secondary schools hosted 3 400 events.