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Publication - Statistics

Satisfaction with Local Authority Cultural Services in Scotland (2024)

Published
25 September 2025
Directorate
Performance, Delivery and Resilience Directorate, +1 more … Culture and External Affairs Directorate
Topic
Arts, culture and sport

Report on satisfaction with Local Authority cultural services in Scotland in 2024.

Part of

Supporting documents

Summary of main points

This report draws on key data from the Scottish Household Survey (SHS, 2024) to explore satisfaction with Local Authority cultural services at a national level. Specifically, there are questions in the survey about people’s satisfaction with Local Authority libraries, museums and galleries and theatres and concert halls, from both users and non users of the services.

Satisfaction with Local Authority cultural services amongst users

  • The latest data (2024) from SHS shows us that there were high levels of satisfaction among service users with Local Authority cultural services[1].
  • Around nine out of ten users were satisfied with local authority libraries (91%), museums and galleries (92%) and theatres and concert halls (90%).
  • Satisfaction with libraries and museums and galleries has maintained since 2023. However, satisfaction with theatres and concert halls, has increased (from 88% in 2023 to 90% in 2024) amongst users.
  • Since the questions were first asked in 2007, satisfaction with theatres and concert halls, amongst users, has increased by three percentage points (from 86% to 90%); satisfaction with libraries and museums and galleries has maintained over this period[2].

Satisfaction with Local Authority cultural services amongst all adults

  • Satisfaction levels for all adults are generally lower than among service users. This is because non-service users are included, who may express no opinion about the service[3].
  • 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%).
  • Satisfaction with museums and galleries and theatres and concert halls has maintained since 2023. However, satisfaction with libraries, has increased (from 39% in 2023 to 43% in 2024) amongst all adults.
  • Since the questions were first asked in 2007, satisfaction with libraries, amongst all adults, 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
 

[1] Data for satisfaction with Local Authority Cultural Services is available for all adults (which includes service users and non-service users) and ‘service users’. Satisfaction levels for all adults are generally lower than among service users. This is because non-service users are included, who may express no opinion about the service.

[2] Percentages in this report have been rounded to the nearest whole number. As a result of this calculated differences or changes may be out compared to the difference between the stated percentages.

[3] All adults includes both service users and non-users.

Contact

Office of the Chief Statistician

email: statistics.enquiries@gov.scot

 

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