The Scottish Government has published analysis of the 2013 Scottish Household Survey (SHS) which included a range of questions on cultural engagement. The report People, Culture & Heritage in Scotland gives an in-depth look at the extent to which adults in Scotland have participated in a cultural activity or visited a cultural event or place over the previous twelve months.

The results found that nine in ten (91 per cent) Scottish adults had engaged in culture in some form in 2013. It also found that four in five (80 per cent) adults attended a cultural event or place, while 78 per cent had participated in a cultural activity.

When asked their views on culture 54 per cent of adults strongly agreed or tended to agree with the statement: ‘Culture and the arts make a positive difference to my local area’.  Only 17 per cent strongly disagreed or tended to disagree with this. 89 per cent agreed that it was important that heritage buildings and places are well looked after.

Chief executive of A&BS, David Watt said: “The topical survey is extremely important to help gauge how well the cultural sector is perceived to be delivering in Scotland and the impact it’s having on local communities. The vision of A&BS is for Scotland to be a nation where creativity and cultural engagement are central to the lives of individuals and the lifeblood of communities so it’s encouraging to see good levels of engagement across Scotland as detailed in the report.”

This is the first time questions on culture and heritage have been included in the SHS so there is no comparative data from previous surveys.