Cultural performances and sports events attended by less than 10% in Turkey

Less than 10% of the population aged over 15 have attended any cultural performance or sports event in Turkey in the last 12 months, a recent report by the Turkish Statistical Insititute (TUIK) said. Those who payed to watch a movie at cinema constituted less than 15%.

The proportion of people who did not even once pay to attend a live performance in a period of 12 months was 93.7%, while 92% never paid for any cultural performance, and 94.9% for any live sports event.

Those who cited financial restraints as the reason for not watching any movie at cinema in the course of a year constituted 11% of the total, and 23.5% of the group "under risk of poverty and social exclusion."

A major reason for not paying for cultural and sports events was "lack of interest."

Almost 70% of the population aged over 15 have not read even a single book in the last months, the report also said, adding that the remaining 31% have read at least a book.

The proportion of non readers was highest, with 86%, in the group aged over 65, and lowest in the group aged 15-24, with 49%.