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Cultural Consumption Barometer: Churches and culture houses widely spread elements of cultural infrastructure
Churches (99%), culture houses (76%), local festivals (76%), parks (75%) and libraries (71%) are, according to popular conception, widely spread elements of cultural infrastructure in Romania, according to 2016 Cultural Consumption Barometer,launched at the National Library on Wednesday.
According to the study, made by the National Institute for Cultural Research and Training, 60% of respondents consider that there should be more press distribution kiosks, 68% - more libraries, 62% more book shops and 59% more parks.
The sociological investigation shows that 77% of respondents manifest a low level of cultural involvement; for 19% there is an average level, 3% have high involvement level and only 1% a very high cultural involvement.
As for the social impact of culture, most respondents (87%) consider that art brings people from a community closer and 84% agreed to the statement that artistic events (concerts, theatre shows, film projections) contribute decisively to the economic development of the area where they live. However, activities with cultural character are less present than those for entertainment and relaxation.
Forms of cultural consumption most often found in the public spare were: visiting museums and exhibitions (20%), participating in theatre shows (13%), cinema (9%), opera and operetta shows (7%), philharmonic (6%), entertainment and music (17%) and reading in public libraries (6%).
According to the barometer, the main impediment elderly people invoke as cause for not participating in cultural events is money shortage-42%, state of health -21%, age -12% or lack of time -7%.
At the same time the study shows that 32% of Romanians have not bought a book in the last 12 months, 29% have not read a book in the same period of time. The main criteria for the purchase of books is price -26%, author’s prestige -18%, having heard about the book -16% or its subject -15%.
Folk music ranks first in the top of Romanians’ consumption preferences for music and dance (53%), followed by local pop music (30%), foreign pop (20%), blues (11%), hip-hop and classical, symphonic music with 9% each, rock (t%), opera and operetta, jazz and electronic music 6% each and experimental music (3%).
The study remarks a significant increase of Romanians’ preferences for consumption of dance shows. 56% of respondents declared they participated in this kind of shows in the following order: popular, modern, classical.
Referring to TV cable, 87% of respondents have access to this sort of communication, 52% to Internet.
The survey was made by the Romanian Institute for Evaluation and Strategy, over September 23 and November 14, 2016, on a national sample of 1,349 people aged over 18. At the same time, there were 402 questionnaires made in Bucharest. The margin or error was +/- 2.7% and the confidence level was 95%.