One in five French people hasn't gone to any cultural outings in the past twelve months

Ask the French about the importance of culture, and 86% of them will say it plays a crucial role, just like the time spent with family (93%), and even more than sports (74%). However, according to the latest study conducted by Ifop for the Art Explora foundation in partnership with France Culture, one in five French people has not participated in any cultural outing over the past twelve months. « The main takeaway from this study is the paradox between an attachment to culture and a weakness in cultural practices », says Bruno Julliard, director general of Art Explora at France Culture. A lack of interest, financial reasons… How can we explain this significant drop in cultural practices between2017 and 2025 ? 

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All the cultural practices concerned

4,000 people participated in this study which helps to better understand the role of culture in the lives of the French. And while it seems essential, the overall cultural practices have significantly declined over the past eight years.

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For example, only 72% of those surveyed have read at least one book in the past year, 57% have been to the cinema at least once, 51% visited a monument or a historical site, 43% have gone to a museum or an exhibition, and 33% have visited a library.and a media library. On the side of live performances, the observation is even more alarming: 32% have attended a concert, 31% have seen a performance such as opera, dance, or theater, and 23% have gone to a festival.

Geography, price, and constraints as explanatory factors

Several factors explain this decline in cultural practices, particularly territorial inequalities — the number of artistic and cultural venues varies greatly from one city to another — as well as the lack of time and the costs associated with these outings.

However, one of the main arguments is the lack of desire in the face of the various obstacles presented by the cultural world, such as overcrowding at times and the need to plan several weeks or even months in advance.