How satisfied are inhabitants of EU capital cities with cultural facilities?

The FINANCIAL — “Generally speaking, please tell me if you are very satisfied, rather satisfied, rather unsatisfied or not at all satisfied with cultural facilities such as concert halls, theatres, museums and libraries in your city?” inhabitants of 83 European cities were asked in 2015. Results show significant disparities between capital cities in the European Union (EU), with levels of satisfaction ranging from 34% to 97%.

Nevertheless, in most capitals, inhabitants are generally satisfied with cultural facilities. Vienna, Helsinki, Prague and Stockholm were the EU capital cities with the highest proportions of their inhabitants very or rather satisfied with the cultural facilities in their city, in contrast notably to inhabitants of Valletta, the only EU capital city where fewer than half of respondents declared that they were satisfied with their cultural facilities, according to European Commission.

Inhabitants of Vienna most satisfied with cultural facilities, those of Valletta the least satisfied

Among EU capital cities in 2015, at least three-quarters of inhabitants were very or rather satisfied with their city’s cultural facilities in 18 of the 28 EU capital cities, with the highest satisfaction levels being recorded in Vienna (97%), ahead of Helsinki (94%), Prague and Stockholm (both 90%), Copenhagen (89%), Tallinn and Amsterdam (both 88%), Berlin, Riga and Luxembourg (all 87%). At the opposite end of the scale, the lowest share of the resident population satisfied with cultural facilities was observed in Valletta (34%), followed at a distance by Nicosia (58%), Lisbon (59%), Athens (62%), Madrid (64%) and Rome (65%).

Overall, a majority of inhabitants were satisfied with the cultural facilities in 27 of the 28 EU capital cities.

Satisfaction with cultural facilities increased the most in Athens and Sofia

Compared with 2012, satisfaction with cultural facilities followed contrasting evolutions from one EU capital city to another. The greatest positive trends between 2012 and 2015 were observed for Athens (from a 54% satisfaction rate in 2012 to 62% in 2015, or +8 percentage point – pp), Sofia (+7 pp), Brussels and Zagreb (both +5 pp). In contrast, satisfaction with cultural facilities dropped the most in Nicosia (-9 pp), followed by Madrid and Ljubljana (both -6 pp), Amsterdam and London (both -4 pp).

Leipzig, Graz and Malmö with highest level of cultural satisfaction among other EU cities surveyed

Among the sample of other EU cities selected to participate to this survey in 2015, the highest satisfaction levels were recorded in Leipzig, Graz and Malmö (all 93%), followed by Munich and Krakow (both 92%) as well as Aalborg, Groningen and Cardiff (all 91%). In those cities, more than 9 out of 10 of their inhabitants reported being very or rather satisfied with the cultural facilities. It should be noted that, across Member States where at least 2 cities were surveyed, the capital is generally not the city with the highest satisfaction level with cultural facilities.