Leisure activities and cultural interests under the microscope
Two insightful studies in Switzerland and Germany, which also provide valuable information for cultural institutions, have analyzed attendance at cultural institutions and the leisure activities of the population.
The Swiss Federal Statistical Office (SFSO) and the Liz Mohn Foundation in Germany conducted large-scale surveys of cultural and leisure practices at the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025. In Switzerland, 14,361 people were questioned in a multi-modal survey, in which the majority of respondents participated independently online, while in Germany, 3,519 citizens aged 18 and over, selected nationwide according to a systematic random procedure, were interviewed by telephone by the social research and statistical analysis company forsa as part of the ‘Cultural Relevance Monitor 2025«.
The effects of the pandemic are still visible
The SFSO's Language, Religion and Culture Survey, carried out every five years, shows that after a stable phase between 2014 and 2019, attendance at cultural venues has fallen significantly as a result of the pandemic. The shares of the population visiting museums or exhibitions or attending dance or ballet performances fell significantly between 2019 and 2024, namely by six percent; the drop is even seven percent in the case of concert and cinema attendance. Monuments and historic sites, as well as libraries, were able to maintain their position. A similar trend can be observed in leisure activities outside the home. Meeting friends, hiking and playing sports remain very popular, despite a slight drop of a few percent (around 90 % of the population). In contrast, major urban festivities were less popular in 2024 than in 2019. Festivals are the big exception, their success continuing even after the pandemic: the share of festival-goers increased from 38 % in 2014 to 47 % in 2019, even reaching 52 % in 2024. Urban festivals featuring several forms of artistic expression are in first place (30 %), followed by rock and pop music festivals (28 %) and theater and dance festivals (15 %). Since the pandemic, which encouraged a certain retreat into private life, individual cultural and creative activities in the amateur sector have increased dramatically. In 2024, for example, 14% of the population danced. This figure is almost 75 % higher than before the pandemic - in the younger generation, one person in five dances. Around half the population would like to visit museums, exhibitions or monuments more often, 56 % would like to see more concerts, theater or dance performances, and 62% - and even 75% among 15-29 year olds - would like to go to the cinema more often. In all, 79 % of the population expressed the wish to go on more cultural outings. The most frequently cited obstacles were lack of time (50 %) and lack of financial resources (29 %). On the other hand, 18 % said they had no desire to go out, and for 16 %, the cultural offer was too far from home.
Differentiated analysis in Germany
The German forsa survey is considerably more detailed than the Swiss one, which documents differences between age groups. It also looks at the relationships between income, education, gender, political affinity and use of cultural offerings, and can only be presented here in part. Not surprisingly, people with higher incomes and education levels are more likely to take advantage of cultural offerings. The vast majority of citizens surveyed said they listened to music at least once a week (92 %). Significantly fewer said they play or learn a musical instrument at least once a week (8 %), take singing lessons, participate in choir rehearsals or practice singing (6 %), go to a dance school, ballet or dance event (4 %), participate in theater rehearsals or play theater (1 %). A large majority of those surveyed said they never took part in these leisure activities. Generally speaking, around half of all citizens are strongly or very strongly interested in cinema and film screenings, as well as non-classical concerts - irrespective of whether or not they currently enjoy these leisure activities. Around a third are (very) interested in exhibitions, musicals and theater performances. Around a quarter of respondents expressed (very) strong interest in classical music concerts. 18% felt the same about opera, ballet or dance performances. More than two-thirds of citizens rate the range of cultural and leisure activities available in or near their place of residence as very good (20 %) or rather good (49 %). More than one person in four considers the cultural and leisure activities available in their place of residence to be rather poor (25 %) or very poor (3 %). Significant differences emerge according to the size of the localities in which the people surveyed live: while just over half of residents of small towns with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants rate the cultural and leisure offer as very good or rather good, almost nine out of ten people surveyed living in large cities with at least 500,000 inhabitants share this opinion. Nearly two-thirds of citizens consider it very important (16 %) or important (47 %) to live in a place offering a wide range of cultural activities. Just over a third consider it less important (32 %) or unimportant (4 %).
Expectations of cultural institutions
A large majority of respondents strongly or somewhat agree that theater and concert hall offerings should be preserved for future generations (91 %), that they are part of Germany's cultural identity (83 %) and that they should continue to be financed by public funds or tax money (78 %). For around one in three people (37 %), theater and concert performances are an important part of their lives. Around a third (34 %) of those questioned believe that these shows are not for them. A quarter of them feel out of place in these «temples of culture». So there's still a lot of persuading to be done. In Germany, most towns of a certain size have a theater. The vast majority of those questioned consider it important, or even very important, that theaters set their prices so that all social classes can attend (89 %), and that they program plays specifically aimed at children and young people (85 %), humorous plays (85 %) and plays accessible to all (83 %). Three quarters of those surveyed consider it (very) important for theaters to present new and topical plays.
Culture and society
A very large majority of citizens believe that culture enables enriching shared experiences (92 %) and creates links between people across borders and differences (90 %). A similar number believe that culture can bring comfort and joy in difficult times (89 %), and is an important support in an ever-changing society (87 %). A large majority (82 %) also completely or partially agreed with the statement that culture creates spaces for deep emotional experiences. In his preface to the study, Carsten Brosda, Head of Culture at the Hamburg Senate, sums up the potential of culture very precisely: «What happens in cultural venues has no precise function and follows no predefined agenda. Rather, the arts enable a society to debate and discuss what is general and essential, what is relevant in a much broader sense.»
Full survey results are available via the following links:
