Hungary 6.4

The strength of Hungarian amateur cultural activities lies in the good infrastructure and the network of “művelődési házak” (local cultural and community centres). The political control of the communist system over them cast a shadow on the institution, yet the network of multi-purpose cultural institutions has re-gained its position all over the country after the fall of the old regime. These centres give home to cultural associations and amateur groups in all sectors of culture. Whether their programmes are described as adult education, social policy or youth policy, local cultural centres in Hungary have always been considered part of the cultural sector.  In most smaller towns and villages local cultural policy is almost synonymous with maintaining these centres, absorbing the greater part of the cultural budget. Types of activity in the local cultural and community centres include lectures, workshops, exhibitions, arts events, folklore events, entertainment, training and other community events.

Table 12:  Statistics of local cultural/community centres, 2000-2023

Source: Central Statistical Office

The number of local cultural and community centres has been stable in recent years. The number of events organised by them is on the rise again after the years of pandemic.

The activities of the network of local centres were until 2016 coordinated by the National Institute of Public Culture (Nemzeti Művelődési Intézet), a state institute. This function has since been outsourced to a nonprofit limited company of the same name, owned by Lakitelek Népfőiskola Alapítvány, a private foundation.

Cultivating folk culture is traditionally an important function of these institutions. A particular offshoot of this is the grass root phenomenon of “dance houses” from the 1970s, still popular today, where traditional peasant dances are being learned and enjoyed as present-day entertainment. However, in the 2020ies, folk dance is increasingly only for children.

The Hungarian Heritage House is a national institution founded in 2001 and maintained by the Ministry of Human Resources. It serves as a platform for associations and groups preserving folk culture and citizens to meet through numerous performances and interactive, educative programmes. It also provides further education for cultural managers in the field of folk arts.

The national representative survey mentioned earlier, also contained questions on local cultural activities.

Table 13:      Participation in local cultural activities, 2021
How often in the past year you have participated in the following cultural activities? (%)

Source: National representative survey, HUN-REN Centre of Social Sciences, Centre of Social Mobility

The data show that these events are mainly attended by people under 60, with no significant gender differences. The smaller the settlement in which the respondent lives, the more likely they are to attend local cultural events.