DREM releases Culture indicators for 2024

The Regional Directorate of Statistics of Madeira (DREM) is today making available, on its official website, the Time Series on Culture, Sport and Recreation, updated with final data for all indicators for 2024. This series includes statistical information for the Region relating to museums, art galleries and other temporary exhibition spaces, periodical publications (newspapers and magazines), cinema, performance venues, live performances, protected cultural immovable property, zoological gardens, botanical gardens, aquaria, and municipal funding for cultural, creative and sports activities.

Number of museum visitors increased by 25.0% 

In 2024, 23 museums in the Autonomous Region of Madeira (ARM) met the eligibility criteria for data collection under the Museum Survey (up by 3 over 2023), holding approximately 192.7 thousand items in their collections (+63.6%). Around 447.1 thousand visitors were recorded, corresponding to an increase of 25.0% compared with 2023. Of these, 66.7% were foreign visitors (298.4 thousand), while 9.5% were visitors included in school groups (42.6 thousand).

Exhibitions, authors and works increased in art galleries 

In 2024, the 36 art galleries and other temporary exhibition spaces operating in the ARM held 275 exhibitions, representing an increase of 8 exhibitions compared with the previous year. The number of represented authors totalled 1 884, corresponding to a year-on-year growth of 43.1% (1 317 in 2023), and 6 795 works were exhibited, representing a rise of 10.3% compared with the previous year (6 158 works in 2023).

Periodical publications declined by 2.1% 

In 2024, 11 periodical publications edited in the ARM were identified (1 fewer than in 2023), comprising 6 newspapers and 5 magazines. Regarding distribution format, 8 publications were disseminated in both paper and electronic formats, one publication in paper only, and 2 publications in electronic format only.

The total circulation amounted to approximately 2.8 million copies, of which 98.0% corresponded to newspapers. The proportion of free circulation of periodical publications stood at 10.3%.

During this period, 782 newspaper issues and 25 magazine issues were printed, totalling 807 printed editions. The total print run amounted to approximately 4.2 million copies (98.8% newspapers and 1.2% magazines), representing a decrease of 2.1% compared with 2023.

Cinema and sessions decreased 

According to data from the Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual (ICA), in 2024 there were 4 cinema venues operating in the Region, with 14 screens and a seating capacity of 3 049 seats.

A total of 13 971 cinema sessions were held in the ARM, attended by 205.2 thousand spectators and generating approximately 1.2 million euros in revenue. Compared with 2023, there were decreases of 1.0% in the number of sessions and 4.8% in the number of spectators. However, box office revenues increased by 0.5%. The cinema seat occupancy rate stood at 6.7%, lower than in the previous year (7.0%).

More live shows, spectators and revenues 

With regard to live performances, 1 262 sessions were promoted in 2024, with a total of 259.5 thousand spectators, of whom around 69.5 thousand paid for tickets, generating revenue of 1.1 million euros. Compared with the previous year, increases were recorded in the number of sessions (+4.5%), spectators (+1.5%) and box office revenues (+14.6%). The average ticket price for live performances was 16.0 euros (13.9 euros in the previous year).

Region maintained the number of cultural properties 

In 2024, 180 cultural properties were classified in the ARM, the same number as in the previous year, of which 173 were monuments and 7 were sets. By protection category, 112 properties (62.2%) were of municipal interest, 61 were of public interest (33.9%) and 7 were national monuments (3.9%). The classified properties in the Region accounted for 3.7% of those existing nationwide.

Number of visitors to zoological gardens, botanical gardens and aquariums exceeded one million 

In the reference year, 1 zoological garden, 3 botanical gardens and 1 aquarium were in operation in the ARM, the same as in 2023. These facilities were visited by 1.2 million visitors, of whom 83.1% were foreign visitors (1.0 million) and 1.4% belonged to school groups (17.5 thousand).

Municipal expenditure on culture and sport increased by 12.4% 

In 2024, municipal expenditure on cultural, creative and sports activities amounted to 17.4 million euros, up by 1.9 million euros over the previous year (+12.4%). This increase was mainly due to an 18.1% rise in current expenditure (16.2 million euros), which accounted for 92.9% of total expenditure on culture and sport. Personnel expenditure, representing 20.6% of total expenditure in this area, increased by 15.5% compared with the previous year. The share of culture and sport expenditure in total municipal expenditure stood at 6.3%, an increase of 0.4 percentage points compared with 2023.

During this period, of total expenditure on culture and sport, 72.6% was allocated to cultural and creative activities (approximately 12.6 million euros), while the remaining 27.4% corresponded to expenditure on sports activities and equipment (approximately 4.8 million euros). Compared with the previous year, expenditure on cultural activities increased by 11.9%, while expenditure on sports activities and equipment rose by 13.5%. It should also be noted that expenditure on cultural and creative activities and on sports activities and equipment accounted for 4.5% and 1.7%, respectively, of total municipal expenditure in the Region.

By domain, and with regard to expenditure on cultural and creative activities, spending on “Performing arts” (5.1 million euros) and “Interdisciplinary activities” (3.4 million euros) stood out, accounting for 40.2% and 26.7%, respectively, of total expenditure in this area. This was followed by expenditure on “Cultural heritage”, representing 13.4% (1.7 million euros) of total expenditure on cultural and creative activities.

Within expenditure on sports activities and equipment, spending on “Sports associations” was particularly noteworthy, accounting for 52.4% of total sports expenditure (2.5 million euros), followed by “Sports activities” with 17.7% (0.8 million euros), and “Construction and maintenance of other sports equipment (outdoor or with simple coverage)”, representing 17.1% (0.8 million euros) of the total.

In 2024, municipal expenditure on cultural and creative activities per inhabitant amounted to 49.1 euros, an increase of 4.8 euros (+10.8%) compared with 2023. Municipal expenditure on sports activities and equipment stood at 18.5 euros per inhabitant, 2.0 euros higher than in the previous year (+12.1%). 

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