Survey shows growing participation in cultural activities

A survey conducted by the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) for the second quarter of 2016, showed that local residents participating in cultural activities totaled 257,900, with a participation rate of 59.2 percent, up slighty year-on-
year.
According to the results of the “Survey on Participation of Residents in Cultural Activities,” total participants (including non-residents) in cultural activities rose by 2.1 percent year-on-
year to 302,300.
In its statement, DSEC outlined that cultural activities include going to the cinema, a library, visiting a museum or World Heritage site, and attending a performance or art exhibition.
When analyzed by type of cultural activity, going to the cinema remained the most popular activity for local residents with 169,800 participants, up by 7.6 percent year-on-year. As the government organized a number of film screenings to support local films, the amount of residents watching locally produced films rose 58.5 percent to 35,100.
Local residents going to libraries increased by 3.1 percent year-on-year to 114,400; the activity participation rate was 26.3 percent, up by 0.5 percentage points. Students had a higher participation rate than non-students, at 68 percent and 22 percent, respectively.
Residents visiting museums or World Heritage sites increased by 19.1 percent year-
on-year to 113,900. The average visit per participant was 2.8, the same as a year earlier. More specifically, 82,500 local citizens visited World Heritage sites and 75,100 visited museums.
The survey also showed that there were 90,500 local residents attending performances, down by 0.7 percent year-on-
year. The average attendance per participant remained unchanged from a year earlier, coming to 2.3. Music and dance performances were more popular amongst local residents, with 65,500 participants (72.3 percent), while theatre performances had 45,200 participants (50 percent).
There were 38,300 local residents attending art exhibitions, up by 5.2 percent year-on-year; 95.7 percent of them also participated in other types of cultural activities, and 51.6 percent took part in four or more types of activities, up by 3 percentage points.