Arts and culture in figures
Arts and culture have an impact and that is reflected in the research and the figures that are published across the various professional fields. Collect data which you can use to substantiate your story.
Discipline specific
What do you use data for?
Figures about the arts and culture sector provide insight into the size of the professional group or field. That says something about the importance thereof. You can also examine this per field: for example, how many shows take place each year, how many architects are there or how many visitors do museums attract?
Pay careful attention to the context when using statistical data. For example, look at the scale: are you talking about impact at the level of a neighbourhood, town or city, region, nationally or internationally?
You can use research to elucidate the impact of your own work or field. Place figures in perspective by making a comparison, for example, with an average figure and substantiate your own story in that way.
Data and current affairs
When comparing data, it is also important to place new developments in that period in a broad perspective. For example, the corona pandemic has had major consequences for the entire arts and cultural sector. In 2020 till 2022 you will see a sharp decrease in the number of visitors. Income and employment also declined, despite the financial arrangements to compensate for the lockdowns and restrictive measures. These figures cannot be compared with those of the years before without that context.
Where can you find statistical data?
You will find quantitative data and qualitative and thematic analyses about the Dutch cultural sector in the Cultuurmonitor (Cultural Monitor) of the Boekman Foundation. You can also turn to this for figures about the various professional fields In addition, the Dutch Chamber of Commerce provides figures about the number of employees, self-employed professionals and institutions in the various occupational groups, including the ‘culture and sport’ industry. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and municipalities present statistical data.
Via representative bodies
In order to be able to properly support the interests of a specific field and their own members, representative bodies often conduct research themselves too, for example by questioning their own members or supporters about specific themes. This information is usually presented publicly too. There are various national professional organisations that make an important contribution in this way towards promoting the interests of their own professional group and towards arts advocacy in general. You can also take advantage of these figures in order to substantiate your own story.
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Figures for the professional field of visual arts
In 2023, approximately 15,000 visual artists were active in the Netherlands. (Culture Monitor, 2026)
In 2024, 473 museums were affiliated with the Museum Association, and together they organized 2,031 (temporary) exhibitions. These museums received 30.8 million visits, 27% of which came from abroad. Visual art museums attracted 12.2 million visitors. In 2024, there were a record number of 1.5 million Museum Card holders, accounting for 31% of total visits. The fees for Museum Card holders' visits generated €76 million for museums in 2024. (Museum Association, 2026)
In 2024, there were 67 school-based museum visits per 100 pupils in primary and secondary education. In 2024, 75% of the museums focused on sustainability. Sustainability is also an explicit part of the policy at 83% of these museums. 80% of museums actively apply the Diversity & Inclusion Code. (Museum Association, 2026)
In 2024, the affiliated museums employed 44,000 people, two-thirds of whom (66%) were volunteers or interns. 22% of museums primarily rely on volunteers and interns. In 2024, the museums generated €1.31 billion in revenue, 49% of which came from their own income and 51% from (government) subsidies. This is offset by €1.34 billion in expenses, 69% of which were staff and accommodation costs. (Museum Association, 2026)
Source: Cultuurmonitor - Beeldende kunst (Cultural Monitor - Visual arts)
Source: Museumvereniging (Museum Association)
Figures for the professional field of architecture
There are more then 14,000 registered architects in the Netherlands. Three quarters are architects, 13% are interior architects, 6% are urbanists and 5% are landscape or garden architects. (Architectenregister, 2024)
Approximately 1,000 firms are affiliated with the Royal Association of Dutch Architectural Firms. The BNA represents more than 60% of the employees at architectural firms in the Netherlands. (BNA, 2026)
In the first quarter of 2025, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) counted 6,830 design firms (CBS 2025) within the SBI code for Architectural Firms and Interior Architects (SBI 7111). This represents a 6 percent increase over the past ten years. Approximately one in five of these architectural firms employs staff. (Culture Monitor, 2026)
The number of employees at architectural firms increased by 29 percent in recent years: from 8,570 employees in 2015 to 11,030 employees in 2024 (CBS 2025). At the same time, there is a decline in the number of independent architects: from 4,980 in 2015 to 4,370 in 2023 (a decrease of 12 percent). (Culture Monitor, 2026)
Source: Architects Registration Bureau (Architectenregister)
Source: Royal Institute of Dutch Architects (Branchevereniging Nederlandse Architecten (BNA))
Source: Culture monitor - Architecture (Cultuurmonitor - architectuur)
Figures for the professional field of heritage
In 2024, there were 1,464 archaeological national monuments, 4,126 archaeological complexes, 5,186 archaeological investigations, and 161 archaeological find reports. In 2024, there were 472 nationally protected townscapes and villages. In 2025, the Netherlands had 61,643 built national monuments. In 2025, €109,489,875 in subsidies were awarded to maintain these national monuments. (Heritage Monitor, 2026)
Nearly 90 percent of Dutch people over the age of twelve visited, practiced, viewed, or studied cultural heritage in all its various forms in 2024. Six million Dutch people, 38 percent of the population, actively engaged with heritage in their free time. (Culture Monitor, 2026)
Intangible heritage is being mapped in the KIEN inventory: in 2024, a total of 209 different forms of living cultural heritage were registered. The largest category of this is "Festives, Rituals, and Social Practices," which includes, for example, King's Day, various flower parades, nightlife, and the "kopro beki" tradition. (Culture Monitor, 2026)
In 2024, 473 museums were affiliated with the Museum Association, and together they organized 2,031 (temporary) exhibitions. These museums received 30.8 million visits, 27% of which came from abroad. In 2024, there were a record number of 1.5 million Museum Card holders, accounting for 31% of total visits. The fees for Museum Card holders' visits will generate €76 million for the museums in 2024. (Museum Association, 2026)
In 2024, the affiliated museums employed 44,000 people, two-thirds (66%) of whom were volunteers or interns. Twenty-two percent of the museums rely primarily on volunteers and interns. In 2024, the museums generated €1.31 billion in revenue, 49% of which came from their own income and 51% from (government) subsidies. This represents €1.34 billion in costs, 69% of which are staff and housing costs. (Museum Association, 2026)
Source: Museumvereniging (Netherlands Museum Association)
Source: Erfgoedmonitor (Heritage Monitor)
Source: Cultuurmonitor - erfgoed (Cultural Monitor - heritage)
Figures for the professional field of film and TV
In 2024, cinema attendance growth stagnated after the coronavirus pandemic. The number of visitors fell from 31.6 million in 2023 to 29.3 million in 2024, a decrease of 7%. Box office revenue decreased by 8%. This difference can be partly explained by the absence of a few major blockbusters due to factors such as the SAG-AFTRA strikes in the US in the fall of 2023. On average, the Dutch population visited the cinema 1.6 times in 2024. (NVPI, 2026)
In 2023, 292 Dutch cinemas attracted 31.3 million visitors with 502 films released that year. Seventy-seven of these films were Dutch. Slightly more than fifty percent of these cinemas and arthouse cinemas are commercially owned, while approximately 45 percent are owned by municipalities. Commercial cinemas attract around 70 percent of all visitors. Three out of four Dutch households watched films and series at home in the last quarter of 2023, with an average of two subscriptions per household. (Culture Monitor, 2026)
Total revenues in the audiovisual sector reached new record highs in 2023, totaling €1.489 billion. This was primarily due to streaming services, which generated €1.139 billion. Just over a fifth (€333 million) came from cinema receipts, and only one percent (€17 million) came from DVD and Blu-ray sales. (Culture Monitor, 2026)
In 2023, 68 Dutch feature films were produced, with a total production value of over €135 million. Seventeen high-end series were also produced, costing nearly €80 million. (Culture Monitor, 2026)
Source: NVPI
Source: Cultuurmonitor - audiovisueel (Culture Monitor - audiovisual)
Figures for the professional field of arts education
In 2023, 64 percent of the Dutch population was practicing some form of culture. (Cultuurmonitor, 2026)
In 2026 164 institutions for arts education, such as arts centres and music schools, are affiliated with the Dutch sector organisation for cultural education, amateur arts and adult education. (Cultuurconnectie, 2026)
In 2024 there are approximately 10,000 amateur arts associations, clubs and groups registered at the Chamber of Commerce. On average, they each have 36 members. (Associations Monitor 2024)
Source: Cultuurmonitor - Cultuur en participatie (Cultural Monitor - Culture and participation)
Source: Cultuurconnectie (Association)
Source: LKCA - Verenigingsmonitor 2024 (Associations Monitor)
Figures for the professional field of music
With an 83% market share, streaming music remains the most important source of revenue for the Dutch music industry. Streaming revenue increased by 16% to €278 million in 2024. Physical revenue decreased by 6%, while vinyl revenue remained relatively stable at over €37 million. Total revenue reached €334 million in 2024. (NVPI, 2026)
In 2024, global recorded music revenues grew by 4.8%. This was the tenth consecutive year of global growth. Streaming continued to be the dominant format globally, accounting for 69.0% of global recorded music revenues after increasing by 9.5% in 2024. By the end of that year, there were 752 million users of paid subscription accounts globally. (IFPI, 2026)
In 2024, pop venues organised 20,906 activities with an audience, featuring 30,831 music performances by artists. Among concert activities, the share of performances by international artists increased from 31% in 2023 to 36% in 2024. In 2024, 6,885,354 visits were made to pop venues. (VNPF, 2026)
In 2024, 10,574 people were employed by pop venues. 67% of the work was performed by salaried staff. Hired freelancers accounted for 10% of the work, 8% by interns, 3% by agency workers, and 11% by volunteers. (VNPF, 2026)
There is considerable variation in the sources of income between music genres. Popular music, for example, receives much less government subsidy or funding than classical music. In 2023, 7.1 percent of the total subsidy from the basic infrastructure and Performing Arts Fund went to pop music, while classical music received 93 percent of the total. Municipal subsidies (94 percent of the total subsidy for pop venues affiliated with VNPF) are more important for pop venues. (Cultural Monitor, 2026)
Source: IFPI
Source: VNPF (Association of Dutch Music Venues and Festivals)
Source: NVPI
Source: CBS
Source: Cultuurmonitor - Muziek (Cultural Monitor - Music)
Source: Poplive monitor
The figures from the CBS are based on figures from the VSCD, VNPF and their own survey. Festivals are not included in the CBS data.
Figures for the professional field of theatre and dance
In 2024 there were 597 theaters in the Netherlands. (CBS, 2026)
According to CBS, a total of 58,179 performances took place in the performing arts in 2024. In 2024 there were 10,238 theater performances, 23,025 music performances, 2,508 dance performances, 7,139 music theater performances, 9,507 cabaret performances and 5,762 other performances. (CBS, 2026)
In total there were almost 23.5 million visits to performances in 2024. (CBS, 2026)
Source: CBS Statline
Source: Cultuurmonitor - Theater (Culture Monitor - Theatre)
Festivals are not included in the CBS data.