cultural activities
10
finnish cultural foundation
annual report 2013–2014
C
inemas, museums and theatres are
the most popular places of culture
and arts in Finland. Two thirds of
all Finns have visited them at least once
during the past two years. Opera and folk
dance performances were not as popular,
but about half of all Finns had been to them
at some point in their lives.
All types of culture have their
supporters; there are, for example, more
than half a million opera lovers in Finland.
Thus, according to the results, the claims
that culture is a hobby of the elite are
groundless.
Moreover, Finns are probably more
enthusiastic about culture than the results
indicate because the focus of the survey
was on the use of cultural services. Thus,
such hobbies as singing in a choir and
reading books at home were not included
as options for the respondents.
The survey was conducted by TNS
Gallup, which compiled the answers as
an online panel between September and
October 2013. Over 8,000 people from
different parts of Finland participated in
the survey.
Arts provide comfort
and pleasure
A huge majority of the respondents were
of view that the main purpose of arts is to
bring pleasure and comfort to daily life.
This was important or fairly important for
83 per cent of the respondents.
Generating aesthetic experiences
and bringing people together through
shared experiences were also considered
important. Most of the respondents
agreed that arts are important in these
respects, regardless of their social status.
Many other tasks, such as expressing and
unlocking emotions and encouraging
in-depth thinking, were also considered
important.
Almost half of all Finns (44 per cent
of the respondents) considered the
offerings of cultural institutions important
for themselves and for their wellbeing.
Moreover, two thirds of the respondents
considered it important or fairly important
that arts promote health and wellbeing.
Income levels and consumption
of culture do not go hand in
hand
The respondents were divided into four
groups in accordance with how actively
and diversely they use cultural services.
Six per cent of the Finnish population
were classified as active consumers of
culture (people who visit high and popular
Finns are a cultural people
At the start of its jubilee year, the Finnish Cultural Foundation commissioned an
extensive questionnaire on how Finns view arts and culture. The r sults are pleasing:
Finns of all ages, irrespective of their place of residence and income category, are
interested in culture.
❶
Active consumers of culture
are all-round cultural
enthusiasts who visit high
and popular cultural events
many times each year.
❷
Active but selective consumers
of culture visit many cultural
events but make use of fewer
types of culture.
❸
Consumers of culture who
are passive and selective only
go to a small number of cultural
events focusing on specific
forms of culture.
❹
Passive consumers of culture
ignore most cultural events.
THE
survey by the Finnish Cultural Foundation may encourage thinking that culture
is becoming more entertaining. – – I beg to disagree with those who think that this
is what is happening. The motivations of the people creating culture and their audiences
vary. An entertaining performance can arouse debate. An exhibition arousing debate can
be entertaining. Galleries and publishing houses continue to present both hits and more
ambitious art. According to the gateway theory, audiences will also move from easier
performances to more difficult ones."
Jaakko Lyytinen
, head of the cultural section of ‘Helsingin Sanomat’,
Finland’s biggest daily, (19 November 2013)
