Statistical presentation

Data description

The statistics cover the number of productions, performances, and audiences, as well as the developments in these areas, for both state-funded and non-state-funded professional theatres. The population includes producers of theatre performances, as well as producers/organizers who stage foreign guest performances at their own venues. The producers can be physical theatres or individuals/companies that set up performances at a theatre. It is the producer's responsibility to report data for the statistics.

A season runs from July 1st in one year to June 30th of the following year, meaning it does not align with the calendar year.

Theatres and other performing arts producers can either be state-subsidized or non-subsidized. The population of state-subsidized theatres includes those that receive financial support under the Theatre Act, are approved for reimbursement of municipal expenses for children's theatre and outreach theatre, or are approved under the scheme for reduced ticket prices. Statistics Denmark receives annual information from the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces regarding which theatres and performing arts producers have applied for and received funding for productions through Section 18 of the Danish Performing Arts Act. This information forms the basis for the population of state-subsidized theatres. Since the 2017/2018 season, Scenit has provided data to Statistics Denmark. Scenit is an organization working to strengthen the sales, dissemination, and documentation of performing arts in collaboration with stakeholders in the theatre world. Scenit manages the Tereba database, where theatre producers enter information about their productions. Data from Tereba has also become part of the foundation for population formation. Since all professional theatres can use Tereba, Statistics Denmark, in addition to the list of state-subsidized theatres, has also included active theatres from Tereba’s data. Information about the theatres' productions, such as performances and the number of tickets sold, is also used for troubleshooting to reduce the reporting burden by pre-filling this information on the relevant theatres'/performing arts producers' reporting forms.

The population of non-state-subsidized theatres includes those that do not receive financial support under the Theatre Act. Additionally, the survey population includes other non-state-subsidized professional theatres that Statistics Denmark is aware of through other sources. The population has evolved gradually over time. From the 1980/1981 season through the 2002/2003 season, the statistics only covered state-subsidized theatres. From the 2003/2004 season onwards, it was expanded to also include non-state-subsidized theatres. From the 2004/2005 season, the scope was further expanded to include foreign guest performances. Foreign guest performances refer to productions that are rehearsed abroad and performed in Denmark. This means that performances produced by foreign producers who establish a company in Denmark to manage the production are not considered foreign guest performances but are classified as Danish-produced productions.

In the 2015/2016 season, there was a data break caused by a change in the population definition. From this season, the definition of state-subsidized theatres also includes theatres approved under the scheme for reimbursement of municipal expenses for children's theatre and outreach theatre, as well as theatres approved under the scheme for reduced ticket prices. The non-state-subsidized population in this season includes theatres that do not meet the criteria for professional theatres set by the Danish Arts Foundation, but are professionally operated and employ professional performing artists. The population in 2015/2016 corresponds to the population of non-state-subsidized theatres in the 2014/2015 season, except for those theatres approved under the reimbursement and dissemination schemes.

From the 2017/2018 season onward, Statistics Denmark and Scenit have collaborated on defining the population for the statistics. Scenit manages the Tereba database, where theatre producers and organizers register information about their productions. The population for 2017/2018 and beyond is formed based on data from Tereba, in addition to the lists from the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces. Through data from Tereba, Statistics Denmark has also gained insight into smaller non-state-subsidized theatres that have been active during the given season. The population for the 2017/2018 season and beyond is smaller compared to the 2016/2017 season, as theatre producers who do not receive support in the current season and who have not reported in previous seasons have been removed. Despite the reduction in the population for 2017/2018, it is expected that activity in Danish theatres will be captured more comprehensively with Tereba as the data source. For instance, in the 2017/2018 season, there was an increase in activity in Danish theatres compared to the previous season. One explanation for this is that Statistics Denmark has reduced the reporting burden by pre-filling the electronic forms with production titles, genres, etc., based on the information theatre producers input into the Tereba database.

In the 2020/2021 season, there was a data break due to the expansion of the statistics to include new theatre categories, genres, and audience groups. To maintain a longer time series, two, statistical bank tables, SCENE08A and SCENE10A, have been created, going back to the 2015/2016 season, where the categories remain consistent over time.

Classification system

The Statistics shows the number of productions, performances and spectators. The group with spectators shows is distributed by children, young people and adults. The categories are children (age 0-15 and families, young people (age 16-24) and adults. Genre is Plays, Musical and Operettas, Opera, Music theatre and Concert performance, Ballet, Dance, Animation and Puppetry, Contemporary circus/New circus, Performance and Show, Revue, Stand-up and Cabaret, as well as other genre. A scene is the theatres own stationary scenes and tours in other places. The theatres primary spectators shows what the theatres productions and is distributed on adult theatre and child theatre. The category of theatre is distributed on state-sponsored, state-subsidized and non-state-subsidized.

Sector coverage

Culture sector

Statistical concepts and definitions

State-Subsidies Theatres: State-subsidized theater: State aid to the theaters is regulated by Theatre Act Theatre Act (LBK 526) refers directly following theaters, which represent the majority of state-subsidized theaters: · The Royal Theatre and Orchestra: The Royal Theatre and the chapel is Denmark's national scene. The theater be without bias producing a repertoire of high artistic quality in the field of ballet, opera and drama · Location scenes in Aarhus, Odense and Aalborg The Copenhagen Theatre Cooperation: The Copenhagen Theatre Co is a private foundation that aims to support the operation of a number of theaters in the metropolitan area. Regional Theatres. At a regional theater means a professional producing theater, which is resident outside of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Odense, Aarhus and Aalborg Municipality. A regional theater must have a minimum of two productions a year, a fixed venue, local roots and to be financed wholly or partly by one or more municipalities. Small city theaters. The state provides within a limit set in the Finance operating grants to small city theaters in Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Odense, Aarhus and Aalborg Municipality. The small city theaters need to complement regional stages help ensure a versatile theater offering in the large urban municipalities. Theatres with operational support from the Danish Arts Council / theaters etc. with project support from The Danish Arts Council, the Danish Arts Council may support 1. stationary and touring and outreach arts activities carried out by small theaters, performing arts groups and independent performing artists, including their cooperation with other theaters and actors in the performing arts, 2. promotion of new Danish drama, 3. the acquisition of technical equipment, etc. and in special cases arrangement of rooms for performing arts purposes, 4. promotion of the performing arts international activities and cooperation and 5. other activities to promote the legislation's objectives.

Non-Subsidised theatres: Non state-subsidized theaters: The population of non-subsidized theaters, including the theaters that have not received support for theater law nor through the so-called reimbursement scheme.

Guest Appearances from Abroad: Foreign guest performances: foreign guest performances are performances that are rehearsed abroad and listed in Denmark. It implies that the performances produced by foreign manufacturers who set up businesses in Denmark to handle the production, are not included as foreign guest performances but as Danish produced performances.

Statistical unit

The inventory operate with the units number of theaters, number of productions and number of performances. In addition the unit spectators, i.e.. those who attend a performance. The financial information given in 1,000 kroner.

Statistical population

The population consists of theatres and performing arts producers who have received funding under the Theatre Act, are approved under the scheme for reimbursement of municipal expenses for children's theatre and outreach theatre, as well as theatres and performing arts producers approved under the scheme for reducing ticket prices. In addition, the research population includes other professional theatres and performing arts producers known to Statistics Denmark through Scenit (Tereba) and other sources, including knowledge from the historical data of the statistics.

Information about which theatres have received funding in a given season is provided annually to Statistics Denmark by the Agency for Culture and Palaces. This information forms the basis for the research population of state-subsidized theatres.

Reference area

Denmark.

Time coverage

The statistic covers season 2020/2021-2023/2024 and partly 2015/2016-2023/2024.

Base period

Not relevant for this statistic.

Unit of measure

Attendances is the sum of persons to each performance of every production in the period of reference. Performances is the sum of every performance of every production. Productions is the sum of every production. Economic information given in 1000 kr.

Reference period

The statistics are compiled yearly on the basis of seasons, that is from 1 July to 30 June.

Frequency of dissemination

Annually.

Legal acts and other agreements

No EU regulation.

Cost and burden

Not measured.

In the 2017/2018 season, Statistics Denmark has eased the reporting burden on theater producers by pre-filling the forms with information that the theater producers enter in Tereba. In the 2017/2018 season and 2018/2019 season, electronic forms were pre-filled with the production title, genre and name of the co-producer if applicable.

Comment

Other information can be found on Statistics Emneside or by contact with Danmarks Statistik.