Culture Statistics 2012

This publication provides figures and information about cultural statistics. The main purpose of this publication is to present an overview of available statistics in various cultural fields in Norway.

A selection of some main results within cultural fields in this publication:

• Public expenditure

Governmental expenditure on cultural purposes in the Ministry of Culture’s budget for 2012 was just below NOK 9 billion, county municipalities’ net operating expenditure on cultural purposes was NOK 1.3 billion, and municipalities’ net expenditure on cultural purposes was NOK 9.4 billion.

• Employment and industry statistics

Three per cent of all employed in Norway had their main job within the cultural industry in 2012, a total of 79 000 people. The cultural industry consisted of 36 000 active enterprises on January 1st 2012.

• Art policy measures

In 2012, The Art Council of Norway distributed NOK 540 million from the Norwegian Cultural Fund to several cultural purposes. The sum has increased by NOK 28 million, or more than five per cent in one year. Music, literature and theatre received most; NOK 165 million, NOK 137 million, and NOK 106 million respectively.

• Theatre, music and festivals

Combined, members of Association of Norwegian Theatres and Orchestras (NTO) and independent theatre and dance groups had about 2 million attenders to their open for public performances in 2012. In addition these members have been active in a cultural program for pupils named “The Cultural Rucksack”.

An accumulated audience of 476 000 attended concerts held by members of NTO in 2012. Close to 1.2 million festival goers went to one of the festivals arranged by members of Norwegian Festivals. The total allocations from The Art Council to music festivals amounted to NOK 43.5 million in 2012.

• Museums

In 2012, about 10.7 million people visited Norwegian museums. This is an increase of 92 000 visits since 2011. The number of museum visits has increased by 2.3 million or 28 per cent since 2002. The museums hold collections of 51 million registered objects by 2012.

• Libraries

Lending of books in public libraries had decreased by 3 per cent in 2012 compared to the year before. The number of renewals of books has increased by 5 per cent in the same period. The number of visits to public libraries has gone down by 3.6 per cent in this time.

• Books

A total of 11 300 titles were published in 2012. Norwegians spent in average 12 minutes on reading a book in their spear time in 2012, this is according to the Norwegian media barometer.

• Newspapers

A trend of decline in circulation numbers for paper editions of newspapers continues. The total circulation number for 2012 was 2.4 million, a decrease by 79 000, or 3 per cent from the year before. The decline was less steep one year earlier, by 2.8 per cent. There has been a long term decline in paper circulation for newspapers.

• Films and cinemas

Cinema attendance has increased in 2012, though fewer attended Norwegian films. In total 12.1 million cinema attendances was registered, of these 2.2 million was for Norwegian films. This is according to ticket sales reported by Film & Kino.

• Radio and television

In 2012, 60 per cent of the population listened to radio on a typical day, while 77 per vent watched television. This is an increase by 5 per cent in one year in radio listening, and a decrease by 4 per cent in television viewing.

• Cultural heritage

By December 31st 2012, a total of 217 000 legally protected cultural heritage objects was registered in the database of the Directorate of Cultural Heritage. This is an increase of 35 000 objects since 2008.

• Sports

At the end of 2012 close to 1.9 million members were registered by the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Confederation of Sports. The number of teams has gone up and is now counting to 7 900 teams.