Norwegian Culture Barometer 2012

The Norwegian Culture Barometer is a publication based on Statistics Norway’s survey about the use of culture. In the survey, a representative sample of the total population aged 9-79 years answers questions on how often they have used different cultural offerings in the last 12 months. The survey also quantifies the population’s interest in culture, access to different cultural offerings and their own activities in the cultural field. The first survey was conducted in 1991. Subsequent surveys were carried out in 1994, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2008 and the last one was in 2012. The 2012 survey had a total of 1 996 respondents.

The results show that for some cultural offerings both the percentage using them and the number of visits have decreased since 2008. Other offerings have only seen a small change in this time period. Forty-five per cent of respondents had been to a theatre, musical or revue in 2012. This is a decrease from 53 per cent in 2008. The average number of visits to such cultural offerings was 1.1 in 2012, compared to 1.4 in 2008. Women and people with a high level of education and income go to the theatre, or to see musicals or revues the most.

In 2012, 38 per cent of respondents visited an art exhibition; a slight drop from 42 per cent in 2008. Women go to such exhibitions much more often than men, and those with a high level of education as well as city dwellers are also among the most frequent visitors to art exhibitions. Fourteen per cent attended a ballet or dance performance in 2012, and 8 per cent went to see an opera or operetta. Sixty-one per cent attended a concert. Respondents in the younger age groups were most likely to attend a concert, and pop and rock music were the most popular.

Sixty-seven per cent went to a cinema during the last 12-month period. Young people spend most time at cinemas, but the number of visits is decreasing. Fifty-five per cent visited a sports event and 49 per cent visited a public library, with women and children being the most active here. Forty-one per cent had visited a museum in the preceding 12 months, and 31 per cent had been to a culture festival; mostly music festivals. Thirty-four per cent visited a religious or philosophical community meeting, compared to 39 per cent in 2008. Women, children and older people are the most frequent visitors at such meetings.

The interest for the different cultural offerings has changed little from 2018 to 2012. Concerts are the most popular, with 21 per cent very or quite interested, followed by sports events with 20 per cent. Opera and ballet received the least interest, with 3 and 2 per cent respectively. As much as 70 per cent have no interest in attending ballet performances. Twenty per cent think that the price of the ticket is a major factor in how often they go to concerts, while 11 per cent think the same in relation to museum visits.

The percentage doing activities within the cultural field has not changed much from 2008 to 2012. The biggest difference is that book club membership has fallen from 17 to 10 per cent in the last four years. Thirty per cent were members of a sports club in 2012 and 37 per cent can play an instrument. Eleven per cent are active in painting or handicrafts, and 14 per cent have taken part in a public performance with singing or music in the last two years. Seven per cent are active in a choir, orchestra or similar activities.