Theatre and dramatic art
How many theatre plays and other performing arts productions are staged in Denmark each year, and how many spectators attend? You can explore activity by, for example, producer category, genre and primary audience group, as well as by performances at permanent venues and on tour in Denmark. The performing arts statistics are published annually and are compiled by season, from 1 July to 30 June.
Selected statistics on Theatre and dramatic art
Audience at theatres and other venues
Information about which theaters have received funding in a season is annually provided to Statistics Denmark by the Agency for Culture and Palaces. This information forms the basis for the survey population of state-funded theaters. Since the 2017/2018 season, Scenit, which manages the Tereba database, has supplied data to Statistics Denmark. This has likely improved the coverage of the statistics and, thereby, increased the activity of the theaters. In the 2023/2024 season, an invitation to report was sent to 452 performing arts producers.
For the 2020/2021 season, the Danish Theater Association provided data on the activities of theaters on tour, which has been used for quality assurance.
Information from individual theaters is reported via an electronic questionnaire. Reporting for the statistics is voluntary. The reports include information on individual productions, audiences, and, for state-funded theaters, financial key figures for the season.
Performing arts productions at theatres and other venues
Information about which theaters have received funding in a season is annually provided to Statistics Denmark by the Agency for Culture and Palaces. This information forms the basis for the survey population of state-funded theaters. Since the 2017/2018 season, Scenit, which manages the Tereba database, has supplied data to Statistics Denmark. This has likely improved the coverage of the statistics and, thereby, increased the activity of the theaters. In the 2023/2024 season, an invitation to report was sent to 452 performing arts producers.
For the 2020/2021 season, the Danish Theater Association provided data on the activities of theaters on tour, which has been used for quality assurance.
Information from individual theaters is reported via an electronic questionnaire. Reporting for the statistics is voluntary. The reports include information on individual productions, audiences, and, for state-funded theaters, financial key figures for the season.
Performances by stage type
Information about which theaters have received funding in a season is annually provided to Statistics Denmark by the Agency for Culture and Palaces. This information forms the basis for the survey population of state-funded theaters. Since the 2017/2018 season, Scenit, which manages the Tereba database, has supplied data to Statistics Denmark. This has likely improved the coverage of the statistics and, thereby, increased the activity of the theaters. In the 2023/2024 season, an invitation to report was sent to 452 performing arts producers.
For the 2020/2021 season, the Danish Theater Association provided data on the activities of theaters on tour, which has been used for quality assurance.
Information from individual theaters is reported via an electronic questionnaire. Reporting for the statistics is voluntary. The reports include information on individual productions, audiences, and, for state-funded theaters, financial key figures for the season.
Audience by genre
Information about which theaters have received funding in a season is annually provided to Statistics Denmark by the Agency for Culture and Palaces. This information forms the basis for the survey population of state-funded theaters. Since the 2017/2018 season, Scenit, which manages the Tereba database, has supplied data to Statistics Denmark. This has likely improved the coverage of the statistics and, thereby, increased the activity of the theaters. In the 2023/2024 season, an invitation to report was sent to 452 performing arts producers.
For the 2020/2021 season, the Danish Theater Association provided data on the activities of theaters on tour, which has been used for quality assurance.
Information from individual theaters is reported via an electronic questionnaire. Reporting for the statistics is voluntary. The reports include information on individual productions, audiences, and, for state-funded theaters, financial key figures for the season.
Attendance at live performing arts among the population
The Cultural Habits Survey data is compiled from questionnaire surveys among a random sample and from demographic information drawn from Statistics Denmark's population register. The random sample is drawn randomly with equal likelihood for each person in the population. Persons without a registered address in the Civil Registration System, with a town hall address or with a non-public address are not eligible to be drawn. Every quarter a sample of 15,100 persons is drawn. This sample is divided into four groups which each participant is assigned to with equal likeliness. The groups are used used to divide respondents across four different versions of the survey questionnaire.
Survey questionnaire for the Cultural Habits Survey 2026 in Danish.
The statistic on membership for youth and outdoor activities organisations is compiled on the basis of reports from the following organisations:
- The Danish Scout Association
- FDF - a Christian organisation for children and youth in Denmark
- The Green Girl Guides in Denmark
- YMCA Scouts in Denmark
- Danish Baptist Scout Association
- DUI-LEG og VIRKE - a children's association
- DCU (Danish Camping Association)
- The Danish Society for Nature Conservation
- Danish Association of Hunters
- The Danish Horticultural Society
- The Danish Ramblers' Association
- DOF - The Danish Ornithological Society
On the statistics – documentation, sources and method
See the documentation of statistics to learn more:
The purpose of the Cultural Habits Survey is to document the cultural habits of the residents of Denmark. Culture is broadly defined, as the survey covers habits within the topics of culture, media and recreational activities, e.g. concerts, performing arts, cinema, literature, exercise, digital games and hobbies. The survey has been carried out regularly since 1964. Statistics Denmark has carried out the survey from 2018-2023 and in 2024-, while previous surveys have been carried out by the Ministry of Culture. The survey has been carried out with a new questionnaire since the first quarter of 2024, and is therefore not directly comparable with previous versions.
The statistic shows the activity at the professional theaters in Denmark. The theaters divided into state-subsidized and non-state-subsidized theaters. Statistics for the state-subsidized theaters have been prepared since the season 1980/1981. Statistics for the non-state-subsidized theaters have been prepared since the 2003/2004 season. Statistics on international guest performances on both state-sponsored and non state-subsidized theaters have been prepared since the 2004/2005 season. In season 2005/2006 was the concert and culture hosted international guest performances also included in the statistics. The figures for the season 2015/2016 are not directly comparable with previous figures as there has been a data break.