(Finance) – TheItaly-Confcommercio Business Culture Observatory recently presented a detailed analysis on the cultural consumption in Italyhighlighting a paradoxical phenomenon: despite the decrease in the overall number of consumers, the average spending on culture continues to grow. The data shows that culture is becoming an increasingly elitist goodreserved for those who have the economic resources to afford to participate, while the gap between those who can spend and those who are excluded is increasing.
Second Carlo Fontana, President of Impresa Cultura Italia-Confcommercioit is essential to take concrete measures to make culture more accessible. “Our Observatory highlights how this is it is urgent to promote policies that encourage access to culturesuch as the introduction of a tax deduction for cultural expenses. This measure would not only encourage greater participation, reimbursing part of the costs incurred, but would make it possible to recover an audience of consumers with lower spending capacity. This would strengthen the entire cultural and creative supply chain, supporting the economic and social development of communities,” said Fontana.
The Observatory data also shows a significant geographical disparity between Northern and Southern Italywith the South suffering most from the lack of cultural offerings and where the possibilities of access are reduced. This gap is particularly evident in the data on spending on culture, which is decidedly lower in the South than in the North. Fontana underlined that “to close this gap, it is necessary that the cultural offer is perceived as valuable and tailor-maderesponding to the interests of different generations and regions.”
In 2024, a further increase in average spending for specific cultural activities, such as music, cinema and reading, despite the decline in the overall number of participants. The use of cultural products in streaming, after a post-pandemic boom, has stabilized, but continues to represent an important part of consumption. For example, only 11% of those interviewed said they had not attended paid cinema screeningshighlighting how many people are willing to spend so as not to give up these activities.
In particular, there has been a revival of interest in reading paper books, with a significant increase from 69% to 75% from 2021 to 2024, partially offsetting the decline in newspaper reading, whose consumption continues to decline. The growth in book reading demonstrates that, despite economic difficulties, there is a segment of consumers who continue to invest in culture, choosing activities that they perceive as valuable.
Another interesting element that emerged from the research concerns the generational gap in cultural consumption. The over 55s continue to prefer traditional forms of culture, such as ballet and opera, while the youngest (between 18 and 34 years) they are more attracted to innovative experiences, such as permanent museums, outdoor events and festivals with personalities from the world of culture. This highlights the importance of diversifying the cultural offer to satisfy the needs of different targets, both in terms of age and interests.
One of the most interesting trends detected concerns the attractiveness of “cultural weekends“, which is particularly strong in Southern Italy and among young people. Almost one in three Italians considers the idea of giving or receiving a cultural weekend a stimulating opportunity. This formula represents an important synergy between the cultural and tourism sectors. receptive, offering margins for growth and economic development for local communities. In particular, 43% of Italians identify the ideal holiday as an experience that combines nature and culture, with a strong focus on food and wine.
However, the research also highlights the critical issues that slow down cultural participation in Italy. The main obstacle indicated by the interviewees is represented by high costs, a barrier perceived especially in the South and in the Islands, where the cultural offer is often poor or even absent. Another aspect to consider is the perception of culture as an attractor for cities: summer cultural initiatives confirm themselves as important drivers for local tourism, contributing to the valorisation of cultural heritage and the revival of the local economy.
Finally, the ways in which Italians inform themselves about cultural events have changed in recent years. In addition to the traditional word of mouth among friends and family (30%), Social networks have gained an important role as a source of information (27%), with growing participation also by the over 55s. This demonstrates how digitalisation has transformed not only the enjoyment of culture, but also the methods of promotion and communication of events, opening up new possibilities of involvement for the public.
Carlo Fontana concludes by reiterating the importance of adopting targeted policies to reduce disparities between North and South and to guarantee an inclusive and accessible cultural offering to allregardless of the economic and geographical situation. Only in this way will it be possible to support the growth of the Italian cultural supply chain and ensure that culture remains a heritage shared by all citizens.