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1. Main trends in young people's creativity and cultural participation

2. Main concepts

Main trends in young people's creativity and cultural participation

Infrastructural background

There are no specific statistics on youth cultural institutions. The public cultural participation of children and youth is often realised through the spaces of community culture. 

When looking at figures regarding the number of cultural institutions, we see an important change in tendencies: between 2013–2019, the number of institutions related to community culture significantly increased (since then, the number stagnates around 5900, that is around 60 institutions per 100 000 inhabitants). The number of cultural events per 100 000 inhabitants also increased in the mid 2010's, peaking in 2016 with 2 853 events. The pandemic has led to a setback, and after 1 233 events per 100 000 inhabitants in 2020, the number has risen to 2 483 by 2024.

The pre-Covid increase in the number of institutions was partly due to the extension of a previously existing network of local community cultural institutions. The Integrated Community Service Spaces (Integrált Közösségi Szolgáltató Tér, ICSS) were created to serve the needs of populations in settlements with fewer than 5 000 inhabitants. As of 2016, 465 ICSS-s existed. The decree that created ICSS-s became ineffective in 2018, but many of these institutions are still operating.

Another important reason behind the increase was the role of the EU structural funds available for socio-cultural activities. These financed 'a considerable number of cultural heritage projects; the largest amounts going to build heritage restoration and upgrading'.

Participation of young people in creative and cultural experiences

The most important data sources for understanding the cultural activities of young people are the consecutive waves of large sample youth surveys. From 2008 on, there has been a steady decline in participation in every 'traditional' cultural activity listed in the questionnaire. According to the results of the 2020 survey (as of March 2026, the results of the 2024 survey have not been published), more than 80% of young people never visit spaces of 'elite' culture (opera, classical concerts), 76% of them never visit art movies and around 40% of them never visit multiplex cinemas either. The 2020 data also reflect the pandemic situation. For instance, only 13% of 15–29-year-olds attended popular music concerts at least every 2–3 months, while 9% of them regularly attended theatres.

Based on the 2023 data of the Cultural Statistical Data Collection System (Kulturális Statisztikai Adatgyűjtő Rendszer) that provides information from the National Statistical Data Collection Programme, the number of youth groups, clubs and study groups run by all institutions that have a role in community culture was 1 072 (it was 1 187 in 2022), (which is higher than the number of the institutions, as one institution might have more groups). The average yearly number of members was 19 508 (in 2022, it was 21 052), and the number of activities was 19 554 (it was 18 602 in 2021), out of which 353 were online (in 2022, there were 539 activities online). Data on participation in creative cultural communities and art groups is also available in the same source. According to this, in 2023, 22 758 15–29-year-olds participated in these types of groups (this number is around half of the 2018 numbers and is slightly higher than the 2022 data, which was 22 651) (as of March 2026, the latest data accessible is from 2023).

Cultural consumption of young people

A 2023 representative online survey of the adult population assessed cultural consumption along five dimensions: interest (whether respondents found cultural offerings matching their interests), perceived quality, affordability, access to information, and time suitability. Among 18–29-year-olds, perceptions were generally slightly above the population average for interest (3.67), quality (3.73), and, especially affordability (3.81), indicating that young adults tended to view the local cultural offer as relatively accessible and aligned with their preferences. However, their score on information (4.33) was somewhat lower than the overall average (4.44), suggesting comparatively weaker awareness of where to find information about cultural programmes. As in other age groups, territorial differences were significant: respondents in Budapest and county seats reported significantly higher satisfaction across all dimensions, while those living in villages indicated more limited access to suitable cultural opportunities.

According to Special Eurobarometer 562 (Europeans’ attitudes towards culture), based on a nationally representative sample of the adult population in Hungary (N=1017, data collected in 2025 February-March), 37% of respondents reported having participated in cultural activities in the past 12 months, compared to the EU average of 49%. While age-specific breakdowns are not yet publicly available, the data indicate that cultural participation in Hungary lags behind the EU average overall. The most frequently cited barriers were lack of time (47%), cost (42%), and distance to venues (40%), with financial and geographical barriers appearing more prominent than at the EU level, alongside a relatively high proportion (17%) who felt not sufficiently educated to engage in cultural activities.

Differences based on location

A major difference emerges in terms of place of residence: young people living in Budapest are generally highly overrepresented in 'elite' cultural activities and consumption, while youth in the villages tend to attend community centres and discos. The pandemic has narrowed the gap, as cultural consumption in the capital has declined.

Leisure-time activities

Young people's offline leisure activities are much more dominated by visits to cafés and pubs (in 2020, around a quarter of 15–29-year-olds visited a café or pub at least once a month), but it is important to note that festivals are key events for popular cultural activities for a large proportion of young people.

Regarding leisure-time activities, the 2020 youth research shows that cultural activities are part of the everyday life of young people. Around 30% of respondents cited consuming audiovisual content (including watching TV and listening to music) as one of their most common leisure activities. In comparison, 16% (on weekends) and 12% (on weekdays) cited reading. Creative activities were not common: 1% responded that they make decorative and everyday items, and around 5% mentioned online/digital content creation as a common leisure activity.

Separation of cultural and social spaces

The data also shows how social and cultural spaces are becoming increasingly separated, meaning that the social nature of cultural activities is decreasing, while, as a general trend, social activities are increasingly moving to online spaces. By 2020, 15–29-year-old Hungarian young people can be considered daily internet users, with four-tenths of them being online virtually all the time.

Main concepts

Definitions of culture

In Hungary there is no coherent formal legal definition of culture. The Fundamental Law of Hungary

'We commit ourselves to promoting and safeguarding our heritage, our unique language, Hungarian culture and the languages and cultures of national minorities living in Hungary, along with all man-made and natural assets of the Carpathian Basin.' (Fundamental Law of Hungary)

While there is no official definition of culture, a general understanding can be outlined based on the legal background and funding directions.

'Cultural law' - Act CXL of 1997

The preamble of Act CXL of 1997 on Libraries, Museums, Archaeology and Local Culture (1997. évi CXL. törvény) emphasises that the

'preservation and practice of national cultural traditions and those of nationalities, the improvement of the personal, intellectual and economic basis for individual and community cultural activities, and activities which improve the quality of life of citizens and transmit values, as well as the operation of the institutions and organisations created to achieve these goals through the system of basic cultural provision is in the common interest of society.' [Act CXL of 1997 (1997. évi CXL. törvény)]

The preamble's cited passage highlights two central focuses of cultural legislation: cultural heritage and cultural basic provision as a central form of community culture.

Cultural heritage management appears in many other recent government decrees and strategic documents. Cultural basic provision as a means of providing basic cultural services was added to the law in 2017. The concept is

'a form of care in the field of culture that provides the minimum of cultural services used by a vast majority of the public. […] It is a conditionality of organisation, activity, and financing that enables citizens and communities to exercise their right to culture directly. […] The care can be used by local people directly, preferably in their residence or close to it, based on equal opportunities, as a civil right. […] Most or the entire part of the population enters the system of basic cultural provision. Its operation is maintained by the Fundamental Law and cardinal laws. It is basically financed through public funds, and the dominant engagement of the state characterises it.'

Act CXXIV of 2019 

The Act CXXIV of 2019 on the National Cultural Council and the Institutions of Cultural Strategy (2019. évi CXXIV. törvény) covers institutions and organisations operating within the cultural sectors, such as performing arts, creative arts, public collections and memory policy, folk traditions, community culture (public cultural activities), and visual arts.

As of 17 December 2025, the list of designated cultural strategy institutions was expanded to include the National Dance Theatre, the Ludwig Museum, the Folk High School Foundation, the Hungarian Opera of Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvári Magyar Opera), and the Csokonai National Theatre. These institutions are recognised as playing a key role in preserving and enriching the cultural heritage of the Hungarian nation, including for younger generations.

Special target groups

Although the programmes are aimed at the entire population, school-age children are often highlighted as one of the special target groups. An example of this is the Lázár Ervin Programme (Lázár Ervin Program), which is aimed at primary school children (for more information, see 8.4).

Ethnic Hungarians living in neighbouring countries constitute a priority target group of Hungarian cultural policy. This focus also naturally includes young people within these communities. In 2025, the Déryné Programme launched the 'Borderless' ('Határtalan') sub-programme, aimed at supporting the cultural life of Hungarian communities abroad and strengthening their national identity by providing access to theatre performances and arts education programmes. Within the framework of the programme, cultural events are organised in Hungarian-inhabited settlements in the neighbouring countries, targeting preschool children, primary and secondary school students, as well as adults and families.

Besides, rural youth can also be identified as a target group. The information provided by the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (Kulturális és Innovációs Minisztérium) in 2024 and in 2025 stated that efforts must focus on promoting their access to cultural and leisure activities, as well as ensuring that cultural values and services reach young people in regions and settlements without cultural or cultural mediation institutions.

University students are also addressed through strategic programming. Since the spring semester of the 2024–2025 academic year, the nationwide KultKredit Programme (KultKredit program) was implemented as a cultural initiative enabling students to attend various cultural events free of charge if they enrol in an elective course. Participation is recognised with academic credits defined by the higher education institution. The programme aims to ensure that graduates leave university with an appreciation and understanding of the arts. The Ministry of Culture and Innovation (Kulturális és Innovációs Minisztérium) cooperates with 21 universities and nearly 70 cultural institutions across the country in delivering the initiative.

Concept of creativity

The concept of creativity appears mainly in the context of innovation and research (sometimes, but not exclusively, in the context of start-ups). The Ministry of Culture and Innovation (Kulturális és Innovációs Minisztérium) does not mention creativity in its founding regulation, but terms such as informatics, science policy coordination and audiovisual policy as elements of the ministry's competencies indicate an understanding of creativity.

Objectives related to creative and cultural industries appear only once in the cultural law: the chapter on regional and metropolitan public cultural services contains the objective of contributing to culture-based economic development and to the development of services for creative and cultural industries.

Creativity also appears in the National Core Curriculum (Nemzeti Alaptanterv) accepted in 2020. The concept of creativity primarily relates to artistic expression, critical thinking, and innovative problem-solving. The curriculum states that 'art education is particularly concerned with the development of creativity, self-expression and cultural awareness and plays a significant role in the development of other competencies.' (Compendium, 2025)