French people consume less and less culture according to a study by Ifop

Cinemas, museums, concerts, libraries… all cultural practices of the French have decreased between 2017 and 2025, according to a study by Ifop for the Art Explora foundation, published on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. In detail, reading at least one book per year now concerns 72% of the French, which is 13 points less than in 2017. Cinema has dropped by 20 points, as well as visits to historical monuments. Libraries or media libraries have lost 16 points, 8 for concerts. Shows like opera, dance, or theater, concern 31% of the French, 23% for festivals. One in five has not made any cultural outings in the last twelve months, even though 86% of them consider it “essential” for their quality of life, just behind family and friends moments, according to this study.

Cost, territorial inequalities, VOD platforms…

This decline is linked to known factors: territorial or social inequalities, financial cost, or lack of time. The respondents also mention annoyance at the need to plan cultural outings in advance, the high turnout at some events, or a certain weariness towards “standardized cultural content (story arcs)”, or even the feeling of participating in a commercial event or “message”.

The French have also changed their way of consuming culture with digital and especially the arrival of video-on-demand platforms. Online, 65% of the French have watched at least one film in the last twelve months, 62% a series, 54% a documentary, 34% a concert, and 30% a show (theater, dance, opera).

The study then suggests to cultural institutions to offer more “reservation-free” events, or even “micro-exhibitions” and “pop-up events during lunch breaks”, in order to shorten the time between the desire for a cultural outing and its realization. According to the study, the goal is to “regain spontaneity in the activities” of the French.