The Institute of Statistics published for the first time detailed data on culture statistics in the country. Referring to the figures as expected in 2020, almost all links related to culture have been affected. Thus, according to INSTAT, last year there was a decrease in the number of shows, even though they were replaced online.
Regarding cultural heritage, it is reported that last year foreigners, who made up 16 percent of visitors, preferred cultural monuments, while locals preferred archeological parks. Regarding the use of the Internet for cultural purposes INSTAT notes that men use it mainly for downloads and games while women to listen to music. Last year an INSTAT analysis shows there was an increase in book prices.
“Participation in Culture
During 2020, a total of 328 performances and premieres were organized in central art institutions. Compared to last year, this indicator has dropped significantly, due to the situation created by the pandemic. However, art institutions have continued the activity with online performances and premieres, published on social networks. In the central art institutions, during 2020, 38,332 spectators participated in cultural activities.
Cultural heritage
During 2020, the number of visitors to museums, castles and archeological parks is 190,467 visitors, 16.8% of whom are foreigners. Piers and Monuments are the assets which are mostly frequented by foreign visitors, while local visitors have preferred the Archaeological Parks. Compared to last year, the number of domestic and foreign visitors has dropped significantly, due to the situation created by the pandemic.
Cultural education
Cultural education reflects information on enrollment of students in higher education in fields of study related to culture. Based on the classification of fields of study (ISCED-F 2013), the fields that are considered related to culture are “Arts”, “Humanities and Languages”, “Journalism and Information”, and “Architecture and Construction”.
In the academic year 2020-21, 17,954 students were enrolled in fields of study related to culture, which constitutes 14.5% of the total enrollment for this academic year, marking a decrease of 0.6 percentage points, compared to the year past. These areas are preferred by women, respectively 15.9% women and 12.4% men to the total number of registrations. In this academic year, “Languages” and “Architecture and Construction” are the most preferred fields of study by students, respectively 39.9% and 29.4% of the total number of students enrolled in fields related to culture.
In culturally related fields of study, women make up the majority of students with 66.1%. The percentage of women is highest in the fields of “Languages”, “Humanities”, and “Journalism and information”. The gender gap is more pronounced in the field of “Architecture and Construction”, where women make up 48.6% of students in this field.
Employment in Culture
In 2020, 19,004 individuals are employed in a cultural activity or profession, 1.5% of total employment. Compared to last year, employment in culture decreased by 0.1 percentage points.
Most employees in culture are male, respectively 56.8%, in 2020. Compared to last year, this percentage has decreased by 2.3 percentage points.
The percentage that women occupy in employment in culture has a lower value compared to the percentage that they occupy in employment of the whole economy (44.5%).
While young people aged 15-29 account for only 21.9% of total employment in the country, their share of employment in culture is higher, 34.0% in 2020.
Employees with higher education make up the largest share of employees in employment in culture, 65.8% in 2020. The opposite happens with the distribution of total employment according to the level of education where
employees with higher education make up only 22.3% of the total employees
Use of the Internet for cultural purposes
Through the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Survey on Families and Individuals, conducted by INSTAT, the regular use of the Internet by women and men for information or cultural activities, such as watching movies, videos on the Internet, broadcasting live concerts, reading newspapers, magazines, listening to music, etc.
In the analysis according to the activities performed on the Internet during the last 3 months, for each category, there are men who record the highest percentages, over 50%. In 2020, in the analysis of data by gender, men use the Internet more for games / download games from the Internet (57.5%), while women use it to listen to music (47.9%
If we analyze the activities performed online during the last 3 months, we notice that young people aged 16-24 use the Internet more to play or download games. Meanwhile, the age groups 25-54 and 55-74 use it to read news / newspaper pages on the Internet.
Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP)) measures the change in the level of retail prices of goods and services which are considered cultural from the point of view of the structure of expenditures which the consumer (domestic and foreign) intends for final consumption in the territory of Albania.
In 2020, the highest price increase for cultural goods and services was recorded for the “Books” category by 2.1%. Whereas, the largest decrease is observed in the group “Audio visual, photographic equipment and their repair” by 0.2%.
Public Expenditure on Entertainment, Culture and Religious Affairs
In 2020, public spending in this area was 6,842 million ALL. These expenditures account for 1.3% of total public expenditures for 2020 and account for 0.4% of total GDP. Compared to 2019, public expenditures on Entertainment, Culture and Religious Affairs expressed as a percentage of GDP have not changed, while public expenditures expressed as a percentage of total public expenditures have decreased by 0.2 percentage points, “estimates INSTAT.
