Turcan: Cultural Consumption, on the Rise

Minister of Culture, Raluca Turcan claims that the data of the 2023 Cultural Consumption Barometer show an increase and confirms that the strategic directions she had during her mandate as Minister of Culture were correct. The Minister recalled that, according to the Barometer, 25% of respondents went to at least one theater performance, approximately 20% of young people participated in film or theater festivals, 15% of young people participated in literature festivals. According to the minister: "And all these figures are increasing, compared to the previous year. Also, 67% of Romanians visited historical monuments or archaeological sites, watching movies at the cinema reached 34% in 2023, an increase from 26% and 59% of respondents read books, either in physical or digital format, and 45% of Romanians visited a museum, an exhibition, or a gallery". Raluca Turcan showed that, according to the Barometer, interest in watching movies is increasing, including watching Romanian movies, which forces "whoever is the Minister of Culture to keep up the pressure for investment in the cinematographic industry". The minister recalled that he "put order" in the state aid scheme for cinematography, made the Audiovisual Production Office functional and launched a new call for projects, after the debts were paid, the evaluations of the 2018 files being "up to date". Raluca Turcan also pointed out: "We already have 45 registered companies, 25 projects, of which 15 have received a certificate of eligibility. In other words, film production is starting, after years of pause in Romania and shame because the state did not respect its commitments. Also, the amendment of Ordinance 39 on the functioning of the National Center of Cinematography is being approved, so that we can take the financing of debut films, Romanian films, including the post-production part, that is, supporting the presentation of Romanian films in cinemas."

At the same time, she mentioned the steps to digitize the production and distribution of films with European funds, "a process that has already started paying off" with European funds. Raluca Turcan also mentioned the purchase of books for libraries in Romania, "for the first time in the last 10 years", worth over 3 million lei and the digitization of part of the libraries' heritage, as well as the continuation of investment in heritage. "In the coming days, the financing agreement for the memorandum, already passed by the Government, of 148 million euros for the restoration of the most prestigious cultural institutions in historical monument buildings will be signed. And I am referring here to the Athenaeum, the completion of the restoration, to the Bucharest National Opera, the continuation of investments in Cluj, Iaşi, Craiova, Bucharest and throughout the country, including a new building for the Antipa Museum, so the restoration of the museum infrastructure", said Turcan.

She also showed that the source of financing through the Historical Monuments Stamp was supplemented with 400 million lei: "We launched four calls, so that we could invest in the restoration of heritage stations, of historical monument churches, the restoration of memorial houses and last but not least, of open-air museums. The call for open-air museums has already been concluded and we have allocated approximately 82 million lei for the restoration of the heritage in open-air museums, which was absolutely ruined, damaged, in a state that is difficult to explain." Raluca Turcan also mentioned the financing by the Ministry of Culture of "quality festivals and cultural events", noting that over 24 million Romanians or tourists who visited Romania participated in them.

The National Institute for Cultural Research and Training (INCFC) has launched the "Cultural Consumption Barometer 2023. Consumption communities in the context of societal changes", the largest national study measuring the practices of cultural consumers.

The barometer highlights, regarding book consumption, that in 2023, 59% of respondents read books in printed and digital format at least once, and of these: 22% read between 1 and 5 books, 13% between 6 and 10 books, and 10% had an average of one book each month, reading 12 books or more. Also, 19% of respondents went to the library to read or borrow books at least once in 2023, with 16% of Romanians participating in a book fair at least once last year. In 2023, 49% of respondents preferred to listen to folk and ethno music, 18% rock music, 17% foreign pop, 15% manele, 14% classical/symphonic music, etc. For the first time, the Barometer offers an exploratory analysis on the distribution and consumption of films in the "post-network era". Regarding cultural activities in public spaces, the main results highlight that: 34% of respondents went to the cinema at least once in 2023, the percentage being based on pre-pandemic figures, but only 10% can be considered loyal movie consumers at the cinema. Approximately 14% of respondents watched a film at a festival at least once in 2023. Regarding cultural activities carried out at home, 53% of respondents access streaming platforms to watch films and under 50% of households at the national level are subscribed to different platforms. Approximately 29% of respondents watch films in series, for several hours a day, practicing "binging", which indicates the audience's preference for watching episodes of a series in series, but also compulsive consumption. The results of the analyses highlight the fact that the change in film consumption practices is related not only to the development of technologies, but also to changes in contemporary lifestyle.