Norwegian cultural barometer, 2004

The new cultural barometer for 2004 shows that 47 per cent in the age group 9-79 years have been at a concert with popular music during the last 12 months. In 2000, the percentage was 39. This is the biggest change in culture use, when the 2004 survey is compared with the one four years earlier. Cinemas are still the offering that most people use. 68 per cent visited a cinema last 12 months in 2004, against 65 per cent in 2000. Sports events and public libraries are the cultural offerings that follow next, with a yearly attendance of 55 and 54 per cent respectively. The public libraries have had a small, but even increase in use the later years.

While 49 per cent had been at a theatre, musical or revue performance in 2004, 42 per cent had been at museums and at art exhibitions. 35 per cent had attended classical music concerts, 12 per cent had been at a ballet or dance performance and 5 per cent at an opera or operetta performance. The percentage attending a ballet or dance performance has increased the later years.

Two out of three have never been to an opera

In the 2004 survey no one answered that they had never been to a cinema. 3 per cent had never been to a museum, 4 per cent had never been to a public library and 5 per cent had never been to a sports event. 58 per cent had never been to a ballet or dance performance, and 65 per cent had never been to an opera or operetta performance. The percentage visiting a religious or philosophical community meeting during a year was 40 per cent in 2004, about the same as earlier surveys from 1994 have shown. 28 per cent had been to a cultural festival.

Women are more active users

There is a larger percentage of women than men who are users of the traditional cultural offerings. Women are in a greater degree users of theatre, opera, ballet, classical concerts, art exhibitions, public libraries and religious/philosophical community meetings. Men are more active users of sports events and are in a greater extent visitors at concerts with popular music. Both genders go equally often to cinemas and cultural festivals.

Much use of culture among children and teenagers

Children and teenagers use more culture than other age groups. Children aged 9-15 years have in a greater extent been to sports events, ballet/dance performances, museums and public libraries per year. They have also in a greater extent been to religious/philosophical community meetings than other age groups. The children, together with the teenagers, are the most eager visitors to cinemas during the year. The young people are the largest attending group to popular concerts and cultural festivals.

Use of culture is socially uneven distributed

People's income and education have great importance for the use of most cultural offerings. Those who have high education are greater users of culture than persons without high education. This specially implies to cinemas, theatre, opera, ballet, art exhibitions and museums. It also to a certain degree implies to public libraries and concerts. On the other hand education is more evenly distributed among those who attend sports events, cultural festivals and religious/philosophical community meetings.

Largest interest for sports and popular concerts

One out of five Norwegians are very interested in attending sports events. This is in other words the most popular cultural offering. Next in line are concerts with popular music, cinemas and public libraries. Only 2 per cent are on the other hand very interested in attending ballet performances, 3 per cent attending opera performances and 5 per cent attending classical concerts. As much as 73 per cent say that they are not interested in attending ballet performances. The same applies to opera performances.

Most own activity in sports and music

Sports and music are the cultural fields where people's own activities are highest. I 2004 31 per cent answered that they are members of an athletic club, and 29 per cent have been active participants at a sports event the last two years. Children and young people are the most active participants. Men are more active than women.

In addition to sports, activities within music are also popular. 36 per cent can play an instrument and 13 per cent play regularly. 8 per cent are members of a choir or an orchestra. 13 per cent of the population have performed publicly with song or music the last two years. 4 per cent are active in organised dance in their leisure time. Women are generally more active then men in these fields, and children are more active than adults.