Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union
1.2. Contact organisation unit
F1: Social indicators: Methodology and development; Relation with users
1.3. Contact name
Restricted from publication
1.4. Contact person function
Restricted from publication
1.5. Contact mail address
2920 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG
1.6. Contact email address
Restricted from publication
1.7. Contact phone number
Restricted from publication
1.8. Contact fax number
Restricted from publication
2.1. Metadata last certified
27 November 2018
2.2. Metadata last posted
4 April 2024
2.3. Metadata last update
4 March 2025
3.1. Data description
Statistics included in the section Cultural participation comprise data which are derived from already existing EU surveys and data collections that are in majority of cases modules conducted on irregular basis:
Adult Education Survey (historical data - AES 2007 and 2011);
Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC ad hoc module on Cultural and social participation, 2022);
Survey on ICT (Innovation and Communication Techonologies) usage in households and by individuals (ICT) and
Harmonised European Time Use Survey (HETUS, 2000 and 2010).
Cultural participation was conceptualised by the ESS-net Culture report (2012) using the ICET model of cultural participation, that distinguishes four forms of participation:
Information — to seek, collect and spread information on culture;
Communication and community — to interact with others on cultural issues and to participate in cultural networks;
Enjoyment and expression — to enjoy exhibitions, art performances and other forms of cultural expression, to practise arts for leisure, and to create online content.
Transaction — to buy art and to buy or reserve tickets for shows.
The ICET model thus sees cultural participation as encompassing people’s activities as consumers of culture (reading books and newspapers, going to the cinema, theatres and concerts, visiting museums and historical sites, etc.), but also as active participants (painting, playing music, dancing or engaging in any activity with an artistic dimension).
In the context of the spreading number of services available via internet, the cultural offer also adapted to comply with digital era what influenced as well the manners of cultural consumption and cultural participation.
Two types of data relate to cultural participation and are currently available at Eurostat:
on cultural practices like going to cinema, theatres and concerts and visiting cultural sites (from the AES, EU-SILC and TUS), and practising artistic activities (EU-SILC and TUS);
on use of ICT and internet for cultural purposes (from the survey on ICT use).
Data on cultural participation (reading patterns, attending cultural events and visiting cultural sites) come from a specific module on cultural participation of Adult Education Survey (AES) conducted in 2007 and 2011, and of EuropeanSurvey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) carried out in 2006, 2015 and 2022. The AES data (covering only the age group 25-64) are available by age, sex, educational attainment level and frequency of practices, while SILC data (for population aged 16+) are further broken down by income quintile, household type, degree of urbanisation, and reasons for non-participation in cultural activities.
Data on cultural participation in terms of time spent on doing such cultural activities as reading books or newspapers, watching TV, listening to music, attending cultural events are available from Time Use Survey conducted in 2000 and 2010. This survey is devoted to measure the amount of time people spent on wide range of activities such as paid work, household and family care, personal care, voluntary work, social life, travel and leisure activities etc.
For further information on methodology of the HETUS survey, please consult the HETUS medatada.
Data on use of ICT (internet) for cultural purposes come from the annual Community survey on ICT usage in households and by individuals and from its specific modules. The aim of the ICT survey is to provide the relevant statistics on the information society: access to and use of ICTs, purposes of use of internet, ICT security and trust, ICT competences and skills etc. The data are available according to numerous breakdown variables including age, sex, educational attainment level, etc.
For further information on methodology of ICT survey, please consult the ICT metadata.
Statistics on cultural participation currently cover the following items:
From EU-SILC:
Going to the cinema (in the last 12 months) and the reasons why not;
Going to live performances (in the last 12 months) and the reasons why not;
Visiting cultural sites (in the last 12 months) and the reasons why not;
Practising artistic activities (usually).
Reading books (in the last 12 months) and the reasons why not (since 2022);
From AES:
Reading books (in the last 12 months);
Reading newspapers (in the last 12 months);
Going to cinema (in the last 12 months);
Going to theatres and concerts (in the last 12 months);
Visiting cultural sites (in the last 12 months).
From ICT:
Regarding the purpose of using the internet by individuals, the following online cultural activities have been identified for which the data are available on an annual or biennial basis:
Listening to music (e.g. web radio, music streaming)
Playing or downloading games;
Creating websites or blogs;
Consulting wikis (to obtain knowledge on any subject).
The e-commerce is monitored through an ICT annual survey and the information on the purchase of the following culture-related items is available:
Books, magazines and newspapers;
Films and music;
Tickets to cultural or other events;
Since 2020, it is possible to indicate whether films/music, books and press were purchased online as a physical copy or as content (e-books, e-magazines/e-newspapers, films/music as a streaming service or downloads).
The results of the ICT 2014 survey module on cloud computing provided information on the use of cloud services for storing and/or sharing cultural content and in particular for storing and/or sharing of:
E-books or e-magazines
Music
Photos
Videos including films and TV programmes
Note: see Annex 1 for detailed list of indicators on ICT for cultural purposes.
3.5. Statistical unit
For data from EU-SILC, AES, TUS and ICT survey: individuals living in private households.
3.6. Statistical population
For data from AES: population aged 25 to 64 living in private households.
For data from EU-SILC: population aged 16 and over living in private households.
For data from ICT: population living in the private households having at least one member in the age group 16 to 74 years.
For data from TUS: all persons living in private households aged 10+ (if this is not possible, all persons aged 15+).
3.7. Reference area
For data from EU SILC:
2022: EU Member States; Norway, Switzerland; Montenegro, Serbia, Türkiye
2015: EU-aggregate, EU Member States; the United Kingdom; Iceland, Norway, Switzerland; Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia.
2006: EU Member States (except Romania and Croatia); the United Kingdom; Iceland and Norway.
For data from AES:
2007: EU Member States (except Denmark, Ireland, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands); Turkey.
2011: EU Member States (except Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, France, Croatia, the Netherlands and Sweden); the United Kingdom; Serbia and Turkey.
For data from TUS:
HETUS 2000 covered 14 European countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Finland, the United Kingdom and Norway.
HETUS 2010 covered 18 countries: Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Romania, Finland, the United Kingdom Norway, Serbia, Turkey.
For data from ICT:
EU-Member States; the United Kingdom; Iceland and Norway; candidate countries. EU aggregates are available.
3.8. Coverage - Time
For data from EU-SILC: 2006, 2015 and 2022.
For data from AES: 2007 and 2011.
For data from ICT: since 2003 for annual variables; 2014 - module on cloud computing services.
For data from TUS: the data collections are spread over few years around the wave years 2000 and 2010.
Data collections years in HETUS wave 2000:
1998-1999: France
1999-2000: Estonia, Finland
2000-2001: Slovenia, United Kingdom, Norway
2001-2002: Bulgaria, Germany
2002-2003: Spain, Italy
2003: Latvia, Lithuania
2003-2004: Poland
2005-2006: Belgium
Data collections years in HETUS wave 2000:
2008-2009: Italy, Austria
2009-2010: Estonia, Spain, France, Hungary, Finland
2010-2011: Romania, Norway, Serbia
2011-2012: Netherlands, Greece
2012-2013: Belgium, Germany, Poland
2014-2015: Luxembourg, United Kingdom, Turkey
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
For data from EU-SILC and AES: % of total (covered) population. Regarding the reasons for non participation (EU-SILC), % of non-participants.
For data from ICT: % of individuals who used internet in the last 3 months or other (depending on the module).
For data from TUS: time spent, participation time and participation rate.
For data from AES: the 12 months prior to the interview.
For data from EU-SILC: the last 12 months (participation in cultural activities) or 'usual' (practice of artistic activities).
For data from ICT: in general, data refer to the first quarter of the reference year. For details see the methodology section for links to model questionnaires and country specific notes.
For data from TUS: Household members are asked to keep detailed diaries for 24 hours of a randomly designated weekday and one day of the weekend. This is in order to have representative coverage of a week in a full 12-month period of the reference year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Under specific conditions (see Council Regulation (EEC) No. 577/98 of 9 March 1998), researchers may access specific micro datasets. To avoid disclosure of confidential data, these data are "anonymised", on the basis of a list of anonymisation criteria agreed with the National Statistical Institutes. Please refer to access to microdata.
Data on cultural participation and practicing of artistic activities allow measuring the people's direct and indirect involvement in cultural activities. At the European level, the several policy initiatives and programs aim at developing the European dimension of culture and at raising awareness about its social and economic benefits.
Therefore, high quality data are important to better underpin the actions taken under the various initiatives targeting the cultural sector empowerment.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Generally users have been satisfied with overall quality of the service delivered by Eurostat, which encompasses data quality and the supporting service provided to them.
AES 2007 and AES 2011 specific module on social and cultural participation (see item 3.1): random sample survey of individuals living in private households.
EU SILC Data: 2022 ad-hoc module on quality of life of the EU statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC), 2015 EU SILC ad hoc module on social and cultural participation and material deprivation and 2006 EU SILC ad hoc module on social participation (see item 3.1): the part of the survey regarding cultural participation is related to variables applying at individual level where the current household members aged 16 and over are interviewed.
Data on ICT use are based on sample surveys; detailed information on sample characteristics is included (occasionally updated) in the Methodological Manual.
AES: 2007 and 2011. In the future, no more AES ad-hoc module will be devoted to cultural participation.
EU-SILC: 2006, 2015 and 2022 ad-hoc modules on social and cultural participation. In the future, that specific ad-hoc module will be carried out at regular intervals, every 6 years.
ICT: annual.
TUS: the general recommendation is to collect TUS every 5-10 years. Currently only data for the HETUS 2000 and 2010 rounds are available at European level.
Apart from the validation made on the primary data, the data on cultural participation extracted and then compiled from AES and EU-SILC were as well validated and checked in terms of comparability and consistency between countries and over time prior to being uploaded.
Statistics included in the section Cultural participation comprise data which are derived from already existing EU surveys and data collections that are in majority of cases modules conducted on irregular basis:
Adult Education Survey (historical data - AES 2007 and 2011);
Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC ad hoc module on Cultural and social participation, 2022);
Survey on ICT (Innovation and Communication Techonologies) usage in households and by individuals (ICT) and
Harmonised European Time Use Survey (HETUS, 2000 and 2010).
Cultural participation was conceptualised by the ESS-net Culture report (2012) using the ICET model of cultural participation, that distinguishes four forms of participation:
Information — to seek, collect and spread information on culture;
Communication and community — to interact with others on cultural issues and to participate in cultural networks;
Enjoyment and expression — to enjoy exhibitions, art performances and other forms of cultural expression, to practise arts for leisure, and to create online content.
Transaction — to buy art and to buy or reserve tickets for shows.
The ICET model thus sees cultural participation as encompassing people’s activities as consumers of culture (reading books and newspapers, going to the cinema, theatres and concerts, visiting museums and historical sites, etc.), but also as active participants (painting, playing music, dancing or engaging in any activity with an artistic dimension).
In the context of the spreading number of services available via internet, the cultural offer also adapted to comply with digital era what influenced as well the manners of cultural consumption and cultural participation.
Two types of data relate to cultural participation and are currently available at Eurostat:
on cultural practices like going to cinema, theatres and concerts and visiting cultural sites (from the AES, EU-SILC and TUS), and practising artistic activities (EU-SILC and TUS);
on use of ICT and internet for cultural purposes (from the survey on ICT use).
Data on cultural participation (reading patterns, attending cultural events and visiting cultural sites) come from a specific module on cultural participation of Adult Education Survey (AES) conducted in 2007 and 2011, and of EuropeanSurvey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) carried out in 2006, 2015 and 2022. The AES data (covering only the age group 25-64) are available by age, sex, educational attainment level and frequency of practices, while SILC data (for population aged 16+) are further broken down by income quintile, household type, degree of urbanisation, and reasons for non-participation in cultural activities.
Data on cultural participation in terms of time spent on doing such cultural activities as reading books or newspapers, watching TV, listening to music, attending cultural events are available from Time Use Survey conducted in 2000 and 2010. This survey is devoted to measure the amount of time people spent on wide range of activities such as paid work, household and family care, personal care, voluntary work, social life, travel and leisure activities etc.
For further information on methodology of the HETUS survey, please consult the HETUS medatada.
Data on use of ICT (internet) for cultural purposes come from the annual Community survey on ICT usage in households and by individuals and from its specific modules. The aim of the ICT survey is to provide the relevant statistics on the information society: access to and use of ICTs, purposes of use of internet, ICT security and trust, ICT competences and skills etc. The data are available according to numerous breakdown variables including age, sex, educational attainment level, etc.
For further information on methodology of ICT survey, please consult the ICT metadata.
4 March 2025
Statistics on cultural participation currently cover the following items:
From EU-SILC:
Going to the cinema (in the last 12 months) and the reasons why not;
Going to live performances (in the last 12 months) and the reasons why not;
Visiting cultural sites (in the last 12 months) and the reasons why not;
Practising artistic activities (usually).
Reading books (in the last 12 months) and the reasons why not (since 2022);
From AES:
Reading books (in the last 12 months);
Reading newspapers (in the last 12 months);
Going to cinema (in the last 12 months);
Going to theatres and concerts (in the last 12 months);
Visiting cultural sites (in the last 12 months).
From ICT:
Regarding the purpose of using the internet by individuals, the following online cultural activities have been identified for which the data are available on an annual or biennial basis:
Listening to music (e.g. web radio, music streaming)
Playing or downloading games;
Creating websites or blogs;
Consulting wikis (to obtain knowledge on any subject).
The e-commerce is monitored through an ICT annual survey and the information on the purchase of the following culture-related items is available:
Books, magazines and newspapers;
Films and music;
Tickets to cultural or other events;
Since 2020, it is possible to indicate whether films/music, books and press were purchased online as a physical copy or as content (e-books, e-magazines/e-newspapers, films/music as a streaming service or downloads).
The results of the ICT 2014 survey module on cloud computing provided information on the use of cloud services for storing and/or sharing cultural content and in particular for storing and/or sharing of:
E-books or e-magazines
Music
Photos
Videos including films and TV programmes
Note: see Annex 1 for detailed list of indicators on ICT for cultural purposes.
For data from EU-SILC, AES, TUS and ICT survey: individuals living in private households.
For data from AES: population aged 25 to 64 living in private households.
For data from EU-SILC: population aged 16 and over living in private households.
For data from ICT: population living in the private households having at least one member in the age group 16 to 74 years.
For data from TUS: all persons living in private households aged 10+ (if this is not possible, all persons aged 15+).
For data from EU SILC:
2022: EU Member States; Norway, Switzerland; Montenegro, Serbia, Türkiye
2015: EU-aggregate, EU Member States; the United Kingdom; Iceland, Norway, Switzerland; Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia.
2006: EU Member States (except Romania and Croatia); the United Kingdom; Iceland and Norway.
For data from AES:
2007: EU Member States (except Denmark, Ireland, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands); Turkey.
2011: EU Member States (except Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, France, Croatia, the Netherlands and Sweden); the United Kingdom; Serbia and Turkey.
For data from TUS:
HETUS 2000 covered 14 European countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Finland, the United Kingdom and Norway.
HETUS 2010 covered 18 countries: Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Romania, Finland, the United Kingdom Norway, Serbia, Turkey.
For data from ICT:
EU-Member States; the United Kingdom; Iceland and Norway; candidate countries. EU aggregates are available.
For data from AES: the 12 months prior to the interview.
For data from EU-SILC: the last 12 months (participation in cultural activities) or 'usual' (practice of artistic activities).
For data from ICT: in general, data refer to the first quarter of the reference year. For details see the methodology section for links to model questionnaires and country specific notes.
For data from TUS: Household members are asked to keep detailed diaries for 24 hours of a randomly designated weekday and one day of the weekend. This is in order to have representative coverage of a week in a full 12-month period of the reference year.
AES 2007 and AES 2011 specific module on social and cultural participation (see item 3.1): random sample survey of individuals living in private households.
EU SILC Data: 2022 ad-hoc module on quality of life of the EU statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC), 2015 EU SILC ad hoc module on social and cultural participation and material deprivation and 2006 EU SILC ad hoc module on social participation (see item 3.1): the part of the survey regarding cultural participation is related to variables applying at individual level where the current household members aged 16 and over are interviewed.
Data on ICT use are based on sample surveys; detailed information on sample characteristics is included (occasionally updated) in the Methodological Manual.
