Satisfaction with Local Authority Cultural Services in Scotland (2024)
Report on satisfaction with Local Authority cultural services in Scotland in 2024.
Satisfaction with Local Authority cultural services amongst all adults (2024)
The latest data (2024) from SHS shows us that, just over two in five adults were satisfied with local authority libraries (43%), museums and galleries (42%), and theatres and concert halls (43%).
Figure 3: Satisfaction with Local Authority cultural services amongst all adults (2024)
Satisfaction levels for all adults[1] are generally lower than among service users. Figure 3 and Table 9.1 in supporting excel workbook. This is because non-service users are included, who may express no opinion about the service (Figure 4).
Figure 4: Satisfaction with Local Authority cultural services amongst all adults and users (2024)
Satisfaction amongst all adults has maintained for museums and galleries and theatres and concert halls since 2023. However, levels of satisfaction amongst all adults has increased for libraries over this period (39% in 2023 to 43% in 2024). See Figure 5 and Table 9.1 in the supporting excel workbook.
Figure 5: Satisfaction with Local Authority cultural services amongst all adults (2023 to 2024)
Between 2007[1] and 2024, satisfaction amongst all adults with libraries has decreased by 12 percentage points (from 55% to 43%); however satisfaction with museums and galleries and theatres and concert halls has maintained over this period. See Table 9.1 in the supporting excel workbook.
Data[2] is available for satisfaction with Local Authorities cultural services by Local Authorities and between demographic groups for all adults (see Tables 9.2 - 9.13 in the supporting excel workbook). Due to small sample sizes for some Local Authorities we are unable to make statistical comparisons across Local Authorities.
Tables 9.2 to 9.13 in the supporting excel workbook show that satisfaction amongst all adults varied by demographic groups. For example, satisfaction across all three Local Authority cultural services in 2024 was higher for:
- Women
- Adults with qualifications
- Adults living in the 20% least deprived areas
- Non-disabled adults
- Adults living in ‘rest of Scotland’[3]
Looking at satisfaction with Local Authority cultural services by age, adults aged 16-24 were more satisfasfied with museums and galleries than adults aged 75 and over. There was no difference in satisfaction between the youngest and oldest age groups for libraries or theatres and concert halls. See Table 9.3 in the supporting Excel workbook.
[1] Questions relating to satisfaction with Local Authority cultural services were first asked in the SHS in 2007/08.
[2] In some tables percentages may have been removed from cells and replaced with [u]. This is where the base is less than 50 and such data are judged to be insufficiently reliable for publication. Estimates with base numbers close to 50 should also be treated with caution, as even though these estimates have been published, they are subject to high levels of sampling error and have a high degree of uncertainty around them.
[3] Compared to adults living in ‘rural Scotland’.
Contact
Office of the Chief Statistician
email: statistics.enquiries@gov.scot