65% of the Population Reads at Least One Book a Year and 80% Engage with Audiovisual Content or Listen to Music

Watching audiovisual content and listening to music were the most frequent cultural activities among the Spanish population, with rates of 81% and nearly 78% respectively, according to the results of the Cultural Habits and Practices Survey in Spain 2024-2025, presented this Wednesday by the Ministry of Culture. The survey also reveals that 64.9% of the population read at least one book in the last year, almost half (47%) attended a live performance, and more than half (52%) visited a monument or archaeological site.

The survey, conducted between March 2024 and February 2025 through interviews with 16,000 individuals over the age of 15, aims to assess the most relevant aspects of cultural consumption. The results show, in almost all categories, the best cultural consumption data in Spain since the first survey in 2002-2003, surpassing the peaks reached in the 2018-2019 edition and leaving behind the declines of the last survey, 2021-2022, marked by the pandemic.

Cinema, reading, and music continue to spark one of the highest levels of interest observed in various cultural activities. Nearly 65% of the analysed population read at least one book a year, with the majority, 60.8%, preferring paper and 29.8% opting for digital or audiobooks. 58.8% read in their leisure time, with a preference for contemporary novels (82%). When purchasing, 83% of those who bought a book in the last quarter did so in a store, and 37.2% via the Internet. Reading data has seen a growth of 7.2 percentage points since 2006-2007.

Regarding music consumption, 56.7% of the population listens daily, and 77.8% at least once a month. The most consumed genres are Spanish pop and rock (60.3%), followed by foreign (43.4%) and Latin (31.7%).

In cinema, 48.5% visited a theatre at least once a year, with higher attendance among young people aged 15 to 19 (79.1%). Preferences remain unchanged from previous surveys, with a continued inclination towards action films and comedies. Dubbed films are preferred by 63.3%, compared to 19.4% for original versions, with American cinema leading, followed by Spanish and European films.

The survey also reveals that 52.1% of the population has visited a monument or archaeological site, marking a growth of 16.5 percentage points over the last two decades. In museums, exhibitions, and art galleries, attendance reached 47.6%, a record since this survey began, showing an increase of 9.4 percentage points since the 2006-2007 period.

Live performances also saw significant growth: 47.1% of the population attended performing arts or musical events. Specifically, 24.7% went to the theatre, 3.9% to the opera, 32.1% to contemporary music concerts, and 9.7% to classical music concerts. All these disciplines have reached their highest attendance figures in 2024-2025.

According to the Ministry of Culture's survey, 74% of the surveyed population has a subscription to some content platform at home, marking an increase of nearly 15 points compared to 2021-2022. Subscriptions to film and series services stand out (64.5%), followed by music platforms (42.3%) and television (39.6%). For the first time, the survey includes data on podcasts, with 14.7% of users.

The use of internet-connected devices is consolidated as a means of accessing culture. 76.3% listen to music on internet-connected devices and 73.8% on mobile phones. Additionally, 18.5% listen to online radio and 30.7% do so from their mobile phones. In television, 21.3% watch directly on the internet and 10.8% from their mobile phones.

Virtual visits are also gaining traction: 6.1% visited museums and 7.3% monuments in digital format. Additionally, 18.3% attended contemporary music concerts virtually, and 11.4% of the population watched an online performing arts show last year.

Internet is also the preferred way to purchase tickets for live shows, chosen by 83.4% of those who attended a contemporary music concert, 62.8% of those who saw a classical music concert, 69% of those who went to the theatre, and 61.3% of those who attended a dance performance.

Among women, the habit of reading is more prevalent: 68.2% report reading books at least once a year, compared to 61.4% of men. Women also attend museums, cinemas, and live music concerts more frequently, with a 2 percentage point higher average, rising to a 6.4 point difference in theatre attendance.

Meanwhile, men recorded higher annual rates in visits to monuments (51.1% compared to 49.9% of women) or archaeological sites. They listen to music more regularly (79.3% compared to 76.4% of women) and play video games more often (27.3% compared to 11.8% of women).

One of the most determining variables in cultural consumption and participation is the level of education: the higher the level of education, the more cultural participation. In this regard, young people show the highest rates of cultural participation in all areas: they visit more museums and monuments, attend more performing arts or musical events, use libraries more, and have higher reading rates. The high rate of cultural participation present in the younger population decreases with age.

Surveyed individuals indicate that lack of time remains the main obstacle to cultural consumption: it affects 45.9% in the realm of reading, 27.9% in museums and cinema, and 25.9% in theatre. The survey also confirms that cultural habits in childhood, especially those shared with parents, have a decisive influence on cultural practice in adulthood.

For example, among the population who read in the last year or went to the cinema, in 69.6% and 68% of cases respectively, at least one parent also engaged in these activities in their leisure time. For those who visited museums, monuments, archaeological sites, exhibitions, art galleries, or archives, in 56% of cases at least one parent had engaged in this cultural practice, a similar percentage to those who attended performing arts or musical events (55.6%).

Additionally, satisfaction with cultural activities undertaken is high among respondents, with an average satisfaction score of 8 out of 10. Contemporary music concerts receive the highest rating (8.8), followed by classical music, dance, and theatre (between 8.5 and 8.7).

The survey also investigates what types of artistic activities are performed annually by the studied individuals, which could be termed active cultural practices. For example, it is not only important to know how many attend the theatre, but how many participate in theatre.

Activities related to the visual arts, such as photography, are notable for their frequency, with 19.6% engaging in it, or painting or drawing, 14.3%, or the hobby of making videos, 9.3%. 6.9% report writing as a hobby. Among those related to musical arts, 8.5% play a musical instrument and 1.8% sing in a choir. Among those related to performing arts, 3.8% engage in dance, ballet, or dance, and 1.3% participate in theatre.