Scottish household survey 2017: key findings

Culture

Cultural engagement

Over nine in ten (93%) adults were culturally engaged in 2017, either by attending or visiting a cultural event or place or by participating in a cultural activity.

The level of cultural engagement has increased by around 6 percentage points since first recorded in 2007.

In 2017 almost all adults (93%) engaged in culture , either attending a cultural place or participating in a cultural activity.

Deprivation

However, the levels of cultural attendance and participation vary with area deprivation, as measured by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.

In 2017 there was a 16 percentage point difference in cultural attendance (including cinema) between the 20% most and 20% least deprived areas (77% compared with 93%).

This gap has narrowed since 2014 when the gap was 20 percentage points.

There is a gap between the most and least deprived areas also when examining cultural participation. However, the gap in participation when reading is included increased since 2012.

Cultural attendance (including cinema) by area deprivation

Cultural participation (including reading) by area deprivation

Change in cultural attendance since 2012

Cinemas, museums, historical places, street arts and cultural festivals were visited by more people in 2017 compared to 2012, an increase in each of these by around 5%.

Libraries were visited by fewer adults; 29% in 2017 compared to 30% in 2012.

Overall, the proportion of those who reported they didn’t visit any cultural place or event decreased from 22% in 2012 to 16% in 2017.

Change in cultural participation since 2012

Similar to cultural attendance, there are increased levels of cultural participation across a number of different cultural activities.

Participation in creative work, crafts, art/sculpture increased. However, participation in reading for pleasure decreased from 69% in 2012 to 65% in 2017.