Consumption of all things cultural on rise: survey

More people in China are investing in cultural pursuits and activities like books, movies and art performances, a recent survey showed.

The country's overall cultural consumption increased year-on-year, according to a study on the development of China's cultural industry in 2014, conducted by Renmin University of China and the Ministry of Culture.

Beijing and Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces took the top three spots for the overall development of their cultural industries. Guangdong, Jiangsu and Shandong provinces were the strongest in terms of productivity in the sector, the survey showed.

"These numbers give us a clearer idea in helping some areas transform their cultural sectors. It will also help local government policy to encourage cultural consumption," says Peng Yi from the culture and science technology park at Renmin University of China.

The basic pattern in the development of cultural industries has not changed much, according to the survey. Cities and provinces in eastern China showed strong momentum in productivity as they enjoyed richer cultural resources and talent. Areas in the west are also showing stronger signs of development in the sector, with policy support in recent years.

This year's research took six months and covered 31 provinces and regions. It also paid attention to people's satisfaction in their cultural consumption. Those in urban areas spent more money on cultural activities, but rural residents displayed a stronger desire for cultural consumption, which meant there was a lot of room for the related industries to grow.

The government provides regular subsidies to people in cultural activities but most consumers are still willing to spend their money on books, magazines, movies and art performances, the survey showed.

Tourism, books, magazines, journals, movies and cultural entertainment were ranked as the top five areas in cultural consumption.

zhangyue@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 12/19/2014 page25)