At the end of 2025, a study by the Central Statistical Office was published entitled "Participation in Culture in 2024". According to him, although Poles declare that culture is crucial to them, in practice they increasingly choose its more convenient digital version. net and streaming services change their way of participation – culture becomes available on demand, but at the same time more individual and little "Community". The pandemic only accelerated this process, although it did not destruct the request for live contact, as evidenced by the return to cinemas or outdoor events. There are besides clear divisions between young people who mainly function in the online planet and specify culture more widely, combining it with amusement or travel, while older people more frequently stay with conventional forms and values.
The authors of the study indicate culture as 1 of the factors of social and economical development, which undergoes continuous modifications due to technological changes. all 5 years the Central Statistical Office conducts a survey in randomly selected households. The direct interview method was utilized and 2 questionnaires were utilized for households and individuals. The publication focuses on ways and forms of participation in culture, it besides describes how Poles perceive traditions and customs and how they measure the cultural offer at their place of residence. Data are broken down by age category, residence and educational level.
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Culture via Internet
84.7% of Poles consider culture important, but real participation in many forms is limited. The reasons can be seen in economical factors, due to the fact that adults without active discounts (students etc.) are not always able to pay for at least a ticket to theatre or cinema.
The net plays an increasingly crucial role, and in peculiar streaming services, which naturally undermine the importance of media specified as tv or radio.
As many as 86.7% of respondents usage the net and 75.4% do it all day. 48.1% uses paid online movie content. This change makes culture more accessible and individual, you can usage it anywhere and at any time, without having to leave home. At the same time, this affects the decline in participation in any forms of culture, although after the pandemic people feel a greater request for live contact, as shown by the percent of people attending cinema, which is 63.5% (an increase of 2.2 p. percent).
It is besides not amazing that there is simply a disparity between those utilizing cinema offerings in large cities in relation to villages and smaller cities. In cities with a population of 200–499,000, the percent was 72.7%, in cities above 500,000 – 78.0%, while in cities below 20,000 – 65.2%. This is usually due to real limitations – cinemas are frequently distant from smaller towns and in large cities the cinema offer is the most diverse.
The percent of people utilizing ‘online culture’, i.e. participation in culture via the Internet, was highest among teenagers and young adults (25-34 years), the lowest among seniors (65+), which is not amazing considering the issue of the communication barrier that older people are operating the Internet.
It is besides worth noting the preferences about the kind of content searched on the net by sex – men utilized mainly television, movies and streaming services, women searched for cultural information, and besides utilized the net more frequently to acquisition tickets for cultural events, as well as records and books. In relation to women, men play computer games much more often, while the division is greatly aligned erstwhile it comes to utilizing the network for conferences, virtual walks or selling works of art.
Young in Culture
Young people most frequently usage culture in a digital way, but do not quit activities specified as concerts, cinemas or museums (quoting the report: "The highest percent of people declaring visiting museums in the country was recorded in the youngest age group surveyed, i.e. among those aged 15-24" and "people aged 15-24 nearly 3 times more frequently declared attending cinema than those aged 65 or more). The net is their primary origin of contact with the planet – it is actual that the yearbooks presently entering adult age no longer know the planet without networks and choose streaming, social media or online materials that are easy accessible and tailored to their interests. It is besides not amazing that they do not read printed newspapers – the smallest decrease in regular newspapers reading was recorded in a group of 65 years and more.
What is characterized by participation in culture among young people (25-34) is besides a combination of the word "culture" with recreation, sports or travel, alternatively than as in the case of older vintages (65 years or more) with the concept of "traditional".
It besides welcomes the fact that students usage places like a library where they not only learn but besides rent books, which shows that conventional knowing of culture is inactive present in the young generation.
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It is besides worth mentioning theatre performances, which young respondents choose more frequently than opera (only 2.8% of those surveyed in the group 15-24 years declared participation in the opera). Importantly, people aged 50–64 were distinguished by the highest percent of participation in opera shows or operettas (12.3%).
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Let us besides look at literature. Quoting the report: "In 2024, at least 1 book a year read or listened to 59.7% of people – 1.5 p.m. more than in 2019. A importantly higher percent of readers and listeners of books were reported among women than men (70.8% versus 47.5%).”
These are optimistic predictions, considering the shortly - announced voices crisis of reading in Poland.
As it turns out, the percent of people utilizing digital literature rose (17.1% in 2024, 15.1% in 2019), which can be interpreted as a form of adapting conventional media to the requirements of digitised society. The most people inactive buy books (26.5%), 20.8% usage libraries.
However, regular press participation in the cultural life of Poles is steadily decreasing.
In comparison to 2019, as many as 19.5% of the little polled declared reading newspapers. The majority of newspapers are inactive read by seniors, while the tiny share (18.3%) of people aged 15-24 shows that despite attempts to adapt the press to the requirements of the online society, its popularity does not increase.
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The most popular among the another forms of participation in the culture listed in the study were amusement parks and amusement parks, with fewer little frequently selected cabaret events, concerts and visits to clubs and discos. In 2024, the interest in sightseeing increased markedly – both monuments and museums, both in Poland and abroad. The majority of residents of cities and people aged 25–49 traveled for this purpose. About a 3rd of the surveyed, more frequently women, young people and urban residents, benefited from the offer of local cultural institutions. The most popular among local activities were artistic events, festivals and book lending. As the main reasons for giving up participation in these events, the respondents indicated a deficiency of time and interest, as well as a mismatch of offer to their needs.
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Who is the cultural man?
The subjects most frequently identified being a cultural individual with appropriate behaviour in any situation and correct and polite way of speaking (65.9% indicated this feature). besides crucial were features specified as tolerance towards others, care for appearance and contact with culture, e.g. through reading books. Participation in cultural events specified as theatre, cinema or concerts was indicated little frequently.
There were clear differences between social groups. In defining the "cultural man", women more frequently stressed the importance of reading and participating in culture, while men more frequently pointed to education and orientation on social issues.
The younger people were more likely to combine culture with tolerance and education, while older people were more afraid with neat appearance.
The perception of the cultural individual was besides influenced by the place of residence. City dwellers were more likely to pay attention to cultural activity and openness, while agrarian residents emphasized first and foremost good manners and appearance. Better educated people have more frequently pointed to the importance of tolerance, and those with lower education have more frequently considered the level of education itself an crucial component in being cultural.
In the context of the study it is besides worth mentioning the importance of tradition in the life of Poles. In 2024, traditions in the closest household were cultivated by 51.8% of people, and their greater importance was emphasized by women than men. Interestingly, most Poles who cultivate traditions live in the east region of our country (58.6%), while the least confederate region (44.1%).
Despite the differences, most Poles consider culture important, and its importance has even increased in fresh years.
It has changed its form – it has become more accessible and Poles are increasingly utilizing it online. Despite this trend, it can be seen that "click culture" does not replace live contact with it. This gives hope that there is inactive a surviving request in us to experience it in communion with others.
