Results of survey on participation of residents in cultural activities for the 2nd quarter 2024

MACAU, September 16 - Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that a total of 282,400 individuals participated in cultural activities in the second quarter of 2024. The participation rate (the percentage of participants in cultural activities among the population aged 16 and above) was 50.1%, down by 0.2 percentage points year-on-year. Local population participating in cultural activities totalled 253,200, and the participation rate rose by 1.9 percentage points to 54.0%. Among these local participants, the most popular cultural activities were "going to the cinema" and "going to libraries", with 146,000 participants and 126,800 participants respectively, up by 0.9% and 1.4% year-on-year.

As Macao continued to host various types of performances, local population attending performances (91,800) surged by 82.8% year-on-year and the participation rate (19.6%) jumped by 8.8 percentage points; the average attendance per participant increased by 0.2 to 2.5. Among them, local population who had been to music or dance performances (70,500) nearly doubled (+99.9%), and those who had attended theatre performances (39,600) soared by 60.4%. Of the local population who had been to music or dance performances in the second quarter of 2024, over 80% (57,900) had gone to concerts in Macao, given the significant increase in the number of concerts held in the city in recent years, which attracted many residents.

Local population visiting museums or World Heritage sites (91,000) increased by 15.8% year-on-year on account of the continuous promotion of cultural heritage by the Macao SAR government, and the average number of visits per participant inched up by 0.1 to 3.2; those who had visited World Heritage sites (65,400) and museums (57,300) showed respective growth of 10.0% and 14.7%. Besides, those attending art exhibitions (33,400) registered a year-on-year rise of 5.3%, while the average number of visits per participant remained unchanged at 2.2.

The Survey on Participation of Residents in Cultural Activities is conducted in the second quarter of every year through a supplementary questionnaire of the Employment Survey, covering all residential units in the Macao Peninsula, Taipa and Coloane, but excluding collective living quarters such as dormitories and care homes for the elderly. The survey aims to collect information on participation of individuals aged 16 and above in cultural activities (including going to the cinema, going to a library, attending a performance, visiting a museum or World Heritage site, and visiting an art exhibition) in the six months prior to the date of interview.