Share of Italians who have not participated in cultural activities 2011-2022

The share of nonparticipation in any recreational or cultural activities in the previous 12 months in Italy declined in 2022 compared to the previous year, when participation was hit by the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. That said, the nonparticipation rate in cultural and recreational activities remained higher than in pre-pandemic years, reaching 29.3 percent in 2022. Focusing on nonparticipation in the museum industry, over 70 percent of interviewed Italians did not visit any exhibitions that year.

Nonparticipation in culture is higher in the South and the Islands

When breaking down the share of Italians who did not participate in any cultural event by region, figures were higher in the macro-areas of the South and the Islands (Sicily and Sardinia). In 2022, Basilicata reported the highest share of people who did not engage in cultural activities, with five other regions from those macro-areas following in the ranking. 

Nonparticipation in culture by municipality size

Once considering the share of non-cultural engagement in Italy by municipality size, municipalities of up to 2,000 inhabitants recorded the highest figure, with roughly 31 percent of respondents who did not participate in any cultural activities in the 12 months before 2022. On the other hand, cities with more than 50 thousand inhabitants reported the lowest share.