The Lithuanian Ministry of Culture commissions representative surveys of the Lithuanian population (15 years and over) about participation in culture and satisfaction with cultural services since 2013. The survey is carried out every 4 years. Currently, data from the surveys of 2014, 2017 and 2020 are available. The questionnaire used in the surveys has been prepared within the full scope of the cultural participation questionnaire of the ESS-net Culture. However, the scope of the questionnaire of 2020 is broader. According to the authors of the survey report, it consisted of two phases: during the first phase, 1 200 residents were surveyed by way of face-to-face interview at their homes and during the second phase, 1 963 respondents were additionally surveyed. The questionnaire used in the second phase was expanded to include additional topics, which, according to the authors, allows the identification of links between involvement in culture and social capital and to start observing the trends of cultural consumption by residents from less favourable cultural backgrounds. The results of the survey of 2020 cover the period of 12 months before the introduction of the first quarantine on 16 March 2020; therefore, reference is normally made to the cultural activity, participation or cultural consumption by the population during the period from March 2019 to March 2020.
According to data from the surveys of 2014, 2017 and 2020, there was no significant increase in the figures of 2020 in the live consumption of culture, except for cultural heritage attendance – 2014 – 73%, 2017 – 71%, and 2020 – 78%. The biggest decrease in live consumption (-6.7%) was in the reading of newspapers. In virtual consumption, the biggest increase (+9.8%) occurred in accessing art exhibitions or museum expositions online or by other means. Cultural consumption in all other fields remains similar to the average for the three surveys.
Table 33: Persons (≥15 years) who have consumed cultural products during the last 12 months in Lithuania in 2014, 2017, and 2020, %.
| Persons (≥15 years) who in the last 12 months…, % | 2014 | 2017 | 2020 | Difference 2017/2020 |
| 1. attended events of performing arts, watched or listened to programmes | 89.7 | 85.0 | 84.9 | -0.1 |
| 1.1 attended performing arts events | 57.5 | 61.4 | 63.7 | 2.3 |
| 1.2. have watched live broadcasts of events while not at home (e. g. outdoors, at a cinema, public library or elsewhere) | 32.7 | 31.2 | 36.6 | 5.4 |
| 1.3. have viewed or listened to recordings of artistic performances | 79.3 | 70.0 | 69.1 | -0.9 |
| 2. attended events of visual arts, architecture, crafts and design, watched/listened to programmes | 47.9 | 50.4 | 51.9 | 1.5 |
| 2.1. attended exhibitions of painting, graphic art, photography, sculpture, or crafts | 28.2 | 25.0 | 27.4 | 2.4 |
| 2.2. attended virtual exhibitions of painting, graphic art, photography, sculpture, or crafts | 12.2 | 13.7 | 12.2 | -1.5 |
| 2.3. watched or listened to programmes about visual arts or crafts (on the TV, radio, online or by other means) | 37.7 | 39.7 | 33.2 | -6.5 |
| 3. visited museums or cultural heritage sites, watched/listened to programmes | 72.6 | 71.0 | 78.2 | 7.2 |
| 3.1. visited a museum | 37.8 | 31.5 | 36.6 | 5.1 |
| 3.2. visited a gallery or exhibition | 31.6 | 21.3 | 24.3 | 3.0 |
| 3.3. watched virtual art exhibitions or museum expositions online or by other means | 7.3 | 8.6 | 18.4 | 9.8 |
| 3.4. watched or listened to programmes about museums on the TV, radio, online or by other means | 29.2 | 34.5 | 32.8 | -1.7 |
| 3.5. visited cultural monuments, historical sites or art locations, famous buildings, archaeological sites | 50.0 | 53.0 | 60.4 | 7.4 |
| 3.6. watched cultural monuments, historical sites or art locations, buildings or areas online or by other means | 21.2 | 28.9 | 32.4 | 3.5 |
| 3.7. watched or listened to programmes about cultural monuments, historical sites or art locations, buildings or areas on the TV, radio, online or by other means | 41.4 | 41.3 | 42.6 | 1.3 |
| 3.8. visited archives | 3.7 | 1.6 | 4.9 | 3.3 |
| 3.9. visited archives online | 3.8 | 2.8 | 7.7 | 4.9 |
| 4. have read books and press | 97.1 | 96.3 | 94.0 | -2.3 |
| 4.1. read a book | 63.1 | 66.3 | 69.4 | 3.1 |
| 4.2. read magazines and/or periodicals | 88.2 | 86.7 | 80.3 | -6.4 |
| 4.3. read newspapers | 91.8 | 88.1 | 81.4 | -6.7 |
| 5. have used library services | 38.3 | 35.3 | 39.2 | 4.1 |
| 5.1. visited a library | 36.7 | 31.2 | 34.7 | 3.5 |
| 5.2. visited a library online | 13.4 | 11.9 | 17.2 | 5.3 |
| 6. have watched films and videos | 89.0 | 91.4 | 95.5 | 4.1 |
| 6.1. went to a cinema or a film festival | 35.1 | 40.8 | 36.2 | -4.6 |
| 6.2. watched films on the TV | 86.8 | 89.2 | 91.6 | 2.4 |
| 6.3. watched films online | 45.9 | 49.5 | 48.6 | 0.9 |
| 7. have listened to the radio | 80.4 | 81.3 | 80.1 | -0.2 |
The comparison of the data on the consumption of state funded cultural activities and activities without large public subsidies shows the latter to be more popular, and figures demonstrate a slight increase in their consumption in almost all categories except reading of periodic publications and watching TV. The largest increase (by 5.1 % and 7.4 %) in consumption in the group of state funded activities is in the categories of museum and monuments visiting (see the table below).
Table 34: Persons (≥15 years) who attended a certain cultural activity during the last 12 months in Lithuania (in % of the population, in 2014, 2017 and 2020)
| 2014 | 2017 | 2020 | Difference 2017/2020 | |
| Activities heavily subsidised by the state | ||||
| Theatre | 31.0 | 34.0 | 36.0 | +2.0 |
| Opera performances | 8.0 | 7.0 | 9.0 | +2.0 |
| Musicals | 8.0 | 9.0 | 12.0 | +3.0 |
| Dance (ballet or modern dance) | 8.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | +1.0 |
| Concerts of classical music | 12.0 | 14.0 | 15.0 | +1.0 |
| Libraries | 36.7 | 31.2 | 34.7 | +3.5 |
| Archives | 3.7 | 1.6 | 4.9 | +3.3 |
| Museums | 37.8 | 31.5 | 36.6 | +5.1 |
| Monuments | 50.0 | 53.0 | 60.4 | +7.4 |
| Activities without large public subsidies | ||||
| Cinema | 35.1 | 40.8 | 36.2 | -4.6 |
| To read books not related to a profession or studies | 63.1 | 66.3 | 69.4 | +3.1 |
| In paper format (Usually use) | 62.0 | 63.0 | 66.0 | +3.0 |
| In digital format (Usually use) | 15.0 | 21.0 | 23.0 | +2.0 |
| Directly on the Internet (Usually use) | – | – | – | |
| To listen to music (Usually listen) | – | – | – | |
| In a computer or directly on the Internet | – | – | – | |
| To read periodic publications (Usually read) | 96.0 | 94.0 | 89.0 | -5.0 |
| Directly on the Internet | 37.0 | 39.0 | 45.0 | +6.0 |
| To watch videos (Usually watch) | 88.0 | 91.0 | 95.0 | +4.0 |
| Directly on the Internet | 45.9 | 49.5 | 49.0 | +0.5 |
| To watch television (Usually watch) | 97.7 | 96.6 | 94.0 | -2.6 |
| Directly on the Internet | 20.0 | 30.1 | 25.0 | -5.0 |
| To listen to the radio (Usually watch) | 80.4 | 81.3 | 80.0 | -1.3 |
| Directly on the Internet | 18.7 | 22.2 | 25.0 | +2.8 |
| To play videogames (Usually play) | – | – | – | |
| To use a computer for entertainment or leisure (Usually use) | – | – | – | |
| Internet for entertainment or leisure (Usually use) | 62.9 | 71.1 | 81.01 | +10.0 |
According to the data of 2014, 2017, and 2020, the most popular cultural activity in Lithuania was making textile works. In 2020 the largest increase was in the number of residents engaged in photography. Painting and drawing as forms of cultural participation take the third place (see table 35).
Table 35: People who have carried out artistic activities in Lithuania in the last 12 months by type of activity, in % of total population, period 2014, 2017, 2020 pct.
| Type of activity | 2014 | 2017 | 2020 |
| Creative Writing | 6 % | 4 % | 6 % |
| Painting or drawing | 8 % | 10 % | 11 % |
| Making textile works | 11 % | 12 % | 12 % |
| Photography | 5 % | 8 % | 12 % |
| Making videos | 3 % | 3 % | 6 % |
| Designing web pages, games, blogs | 3 % | 4 % | 6 % |
| Acting in theatres, directed a play | 5 % | 5 % | 5 % |
| Dancing | 4 % | 4 % | 6 % |
| Playing an instrument | 6 % | 6 % | 6 % |
| Singing | 5 % | 7 % | 6 % |
Regarding the causes preventing the population from participation in cultural life, the most common personal reasons mentioned are a lack of time (47%, 45% and 43 % of the respondents in 2014, 2017 and 2020 respectively indicated this as an obstacle), cost of cultural services (37%, 36% and 23% of the respondents in 2014, 2017, and 2020 respectively) and a lack of interest (25%, 28% and 34% of the respondents in 2014, 2017, and 2020 respectively). In the survey of 2020, the cost of cultural services was mentioned as a barrier to participating in cultural life less frequently, and a lack of interest increased by 6%.
About 40 % of the population of Lithuania has mentioned at least one problem in the supply and accessibility of cultural services. The most common problem indicated is poor accessibility of such services (“difficult to access” mentioned 16%, 16 % and 18 % of population in 2014, 2017 and 2020). In second place was a lack of information that was mentioned by 8 %, 10% and 15 % of population in 2014, 2017 and 2020. Limited choice was the third problem of cultural supply mentioned most frequently (by 11 %, 10 %, 13 % in 2014, 2017, and 2020). In general, the main reasons for not participating in cultural life are personal and the most alarming result is the growing lack of interest in cultural participation.
Table 36: Reasons of non-participation in culture in 2014, 2017, and 2020 pct.
| 2014 | 2017 | 2020 | |
| Lack of time | 47 % | 45 % | 43 % |
| Too expensive | 37 % | 36 % | 23 % |
| Lack of interest | 25 % | 28 % | 34 % |
| Poor health | 20 % | 17 % | 17 % |
| Difficult to access | 16 % | 16 % | 18 % |
| Lack of information | 8 % | 10 % | 15 % |
| Limited choice | 11 % | 10 % | 13 % |
| Poor quality of cultural activities in your area | 6 % | 6 % | 8 % |
| Inconvenient opening hours of cultural institutions | 4 % | 5 % | 7 % |
| Other | 3 % | 1 % | 1 % |
| None | 5 % | 7 % | 10 % |
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