Culture under strain: reading and cultural consumption below the

Culture under strain: reading and cultural consumption below the European average

A complex picture: some cultural services are expanding, but participation remains low and uneven across the country. Statistics highlight structural weaknesses in reading habits and access to libraries and museums.

Key facts:

• Reading: in 2023 only 40.1% of Italians aged 6 and over read at least one book in their leisure time.
• Territorial gaps: readers exceed 47% in the North, while in the South they are around 28.5%.
• Cultural services: the number of municipalities with libraries has grown, but in 2022 only 10% of Italians visited a library at least once.
• Digital culture: in 2024 46.1% read newspapers or online content, while about 15% use the Internet to read books; e-books and audiobooks are rising, especially among young people.

Experts stress that the challenge is not only to increase the number of readers but to strengthen citizens' everyday relationship with culture through schools, libraries, media and technology. Targeted measures are needed to close territorial and social gaps and to boost cultural demand.