B. Participation in Cultural Life

The Compendium Working Group on Participation encourages cooperation with different bodies and researchers in its activities to examine methods and indicators as well as to collect meaningful comparative data on participation in cultural life. In this sense, it urges the collection of data according to specific demographics. In June 2001, the 10th Compendium Experts Assembly, held in Ghent in cooperation with the Amateo-Network and amateurkunsten.be, discussed the topic of "Active Cultural Participation in Europe" - see an overview of papers and debates here. A research bibliography on audience development has recently been provided by US-based consultant Denise Montgomery (CultureTHRIVE).

B.1   Number of screens, cinema admissions and cinema admissions per capita (2001-2009)

Comparative Table
Timeline graph by country

Data provided in Table B.1  is based on the  monitoring activities of the European Audiovisual Observatory. The EAO data has been complemented with  figures  from  Compendium countries not yet included in their collection.

B.2   Internet penetration rate (2008-2010)

Comparative Table
Graph: Share of population using the net

Data provided in Table B.2 originates from the ITU.

B.3   Number of Facebook users and share of Internet user using Facebook (2010)

Comparative Table

Data provided in Table B.3 originates from the ITU.

B.4   Active cultural participation in Europe (2007)

Comparative Table on the share of adults actively taking part in a public performance in the last 12 months

Comparative Table on the share of adults practising visual arts activities in the last 12 months

All statistical material presented in these tables is based on selected data of the EU Adult Education Survey, carried out 2007 and published on 14 April 2011 by EUROSTAT in its Pocket Book Cultural Statistics 2011. During contacts with EUROSTAT, it was agreed that this information may provide some background for, and inspire discussions at, the Ghent conference on Active Cultural Participation, held in June 2011 in the context of the 10th Assembly of Compendium Experts. To prepare this meeting - which was held in cooperation with the Amateo Network -  the tables  were rearranged and abridged by the European Association of Cultural Researchers e.V. (ECURES).

B.5   Participation in selected cultural activities (2004)

Comparative Table

Table B.5 was prepared by Compendium author Mikko Lagerspetz (Tallinn) and brings together  comparative data from the Compendium profiles on attendance rates of publicly subsidised cultural institutions (museums, concert halls, theatres) and indicates the last year when a major cultural participation survey was conducted.    Information and data on participation trends in cultural life can be found in Chapter 8.2 of individual Compendium country profiles.