Cultural participation

In the autumn of 2024, almost 9 out of 10 residents of the Flemish Region aged 18 and over participated in at least 1 of the 11 cultural activities surveyed (87%). This share is at the same level as in 2023. In 2021, this share was lower and involved 77% of the population.

The total group of cultural participants can be divided into different types of participants. The ‘core participants’ participate daily or weekly in 1 or more activities or participate at least once a month in 2 of the 11 activities. In 2024, approximately 11% of the population was a core participant. The ‘interested participants’ are participants who are not core participants. 76% of the population belonged to this group in 2024. Finally, there are the ‘non-participants’. They did not participate in any cultural activities in the year prior to the survey. In 2024, this was 13% of the population. The increase in cultural participation since 2021 is reflected in an increase in the share of core participants as well as interested participants. As a result, the group of non-participants has become smaller. In 2021, 23% of the residents were non-participants, in 2024 this was still 13%.

Comparable figures for the period before 2021 are not available.

66% of the inhabitants of the Flemish Region aged 18 and older indicated in 2024 that they had visited a monument or building worth seeing at least once during the year prior to the survey. This activity thus has the highest participation rate of the 11 cultural activities surveyed. Attending a music performance, concert or festival (63%), visiting a museum, exhibition or gallery (58%) and watching a film in the cinema (53%) were also quite popular. The participation rate was lowest for attending a circus performance or an opera performance.

There are major differences in cultural participation based on background characteristics. The most pronounced difference can be found by age and education level. In the oldest age group (65+), 71% participated in culture in 2024. That share is higher in the younger age groups. Among 18- to 34-year-olds, it is 97%.

Cultural participation increases with the education level: 72% of low-educated people participated in cultural participation in 2024. Among highly educated people, that was 95%.

Finally, there are also differences by household typology. People who live alone participate the least in culture (79%). The participation rate is highest among people who live with child(ren) and with or without a partner and among people who live with parents (91% to 93%).

There are no significant differences by degree of urbanization and gender.