Cultural spending shows a marked recovery (+15 per cent)
Two out of three Italians have read at least one book, and one in two reads newspapers. Interest in cultural weekends is on the rise
An upturn in spending on cultural activities. This is what has been recorded this year, with household spending reaching 108 euros, compared with 94 in 2025. A double-digit increase (+15 per cent) that comes close to the €113 recorded in 2019, before the pandemic. These are the findings of the latest edition of the Observatory on Cultural Experiences in Italia, produced by Impresa Cultura Italia-Confcommercio in collaboration with SWG.
In the cultural consumption basket, the most popular activities remain, at the top of the list, watching television programmes, films and series (92 per cent), listening to music (87 per cent) and listening to the radio (82 per cent). Fortunately, reading continues to play a significant role: 65 per cent of Italians have read at least one book since the start of the year, whilst 43 per cent have read newspapers in print or via a paid digital subscription.
“The growth in cultural consumption is an important sign: it shows that culture meets a real demand and is a key driver of development, employment and social cohesion,” comments Carlo Fontana, president of Impresa Cultura Italia-Confcommercio. “However, participation continues to be characterised by significant economic, social, generational and regional disparities. For this reason, alongside support for businesses and the cultural offering, we need structural policies capable of strengthening demand and concrete measures, such as tax relief on expenditure for cultural consumption and experiences, so as to promote wider access and attract new audiences.”
Among activities involving direct expenditure, going to the cinema (51 per cent), visiting museums, exhibitions and archaeological sites (49 per cent), going to the theatre and outdoor performances (40 per cent) and attending live concerts (35 per cent) remain particularly popular. At the same time, interest in cultural weekends is on the rise, with more than one in two Italians saying they would be very interested in receiving one as a gift, whilst 42 per cent say they are very likely to give one to a loved one. Those most interested are people with higher educational qualifications, women and the over-55s. In the last twelve months, 46 per cent of Italians have taken at least one cultural weekend break, mainly outside their own region (34 per cent). The average per capita spend on this activity stands at 286.2 euros, up from the previous survey (around 235 euros in 2025), whilst even amongst those who have not yet had this experience (54 per cent), an expected willingness to spend of 215.7 euros emerges, indicating that potential demand remains significant. “The interest in cultural weekends also confirms the potential for integration between culture, tourism and local areas: a trend that must be supported and transformed into widespread value for communities and for the whole country,” concludes Carlo Fontana.
