The average Bulgarian favors the cinema and the theater, seldom visits museums, but the number of library visitors is on the rise, according to data from statistical surveys conducted by the National Statistical Institute, NSI.

The surveys, released Monday, are providing information on activities of museums, theaters, libraries, cinemas, radio and television programs and film productions.

Their main indicators and coverage are designed in accordance with methodological requirements of UNESCO and Eurostat.

CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS

Cultural institutions are museums, theatres and music groups (performing arts) and libraries.

Museums

At the end of 2011 there were197 professional museums in Bulgaria, registered according to the Cultural Heritage Act.

There were 7 439 thousand museum stock units of movable values. The stock units are main, exchange and auxiliary research stocks. By comparison with year 2010, their number increased with 17.7%. New information technologies create new opportunities for better and wider access to cultural heritage. In recent years, museums follow the way of digitization and facilitate communication with the audience. The number of digitized stock units in 2011 was 144 thousands.

Museums are divided in two main groups - general museums and specialized museums (including art galleries). In 2011 there were 87 general museums with 3 601 thousand stock units and 110 specialized museums with 3 838 thousand stock units. Museums of art (art galleries) were 38 with 181 thousand exhibits and were visited by 496 thousand persons. Their share represented 11.8% of all visits to museums and in comparison with 2010 was 1.4 percentage points more (54 thousand persons).

Visits in museums decreased from 4 253 thousands in 2010 to 4 211 thousands during the last year, or by 1.0%, as the share of visits to general and specialized museums is about 50% (49.4 in general and 50.6% in specialized museums). In 2011 the number of visitors at the day with free entry is 725 thousands.

Compared to the previous year the total revenues of the museums in 2011 (38 987 thousand Levs) increased with 13.3% while the budget subsidy for the opened to the public museums decreased with 7.2 percentage points. In 2011 museums received by European museums programs and projects 2 369 thousand levs - 6.1% from their total revenues, or with 4.2 percentage points (1 720 thousand Levs) more than in 2010.

In 2011 there was an increase of the personnel in comparison with 2010, from 2 500 to 2 674 - with 7.0%, as well as the number of researchers and curators increased with 62 persons (6.9%). The number of computers that are used in the museums continued to increase during 2011.

Performing arts

In 2011 the country had 73 theatres, in which 12 864 performances were held, visited by 1 930 thousand viewers. In comparison with 2010 the number of performances increased with 12.4% and visits with 15.1% (253 thousand visitors). The average number of visitors for one theatre in 2011 increased in comparison with 2010 from 23 to 26 thousands, and for one performance - from 147 to 150 persons.

From different types of theatres the biggest share was those of the dramatic theaters - there were 40 of them with 5 929 performances in 2011, which was 4.0% more than in 2010, but their share in total performances decreased with 3.7%. At the same time, the share of puppet and dramatic - puppet performances increased with 4.4% and 0.7%, respectively.

In 2011, there were 50 music formations in the country - 6 philharmonic orchestras, 27 professional ensembles for folk songs and dances and 17 orchestras. The number of performances decreased with 23.2% in comparison with 2010 and the number of visits decreased with 20.7%.

In 2011, companies and associations organized 27 recitals (word art) attended by 1 520 spectators.

The total number of concerts was 705 with 231 thousand visitors. The highest share was for the variety concerts (pop, rock, folk and others) - 130 concerts with 75.5 thousand visitors, which represents 18.4% of all organized concerts and 32.7% of all visitors.

Libraries

The statistical survey covers the libraries with library collections of more than 200 thousand items.

At the end of 2011 there were 47 such libraries in the country with total library collection of 32 758 thousand items (books, continues editions - newspapers, magazines, bulletins and other library documents). In 2011, readers (library users) were 218 thousands, which was 0.9% (1 825 persons) less in comparison with 2010, but library visitors increased significantly - 172 thousands more or increase by 5.8%. Library loans on average amounted to 28 items per reader.

In 2011, the National Library “St. St. Cyril and Methodius” had 7 809 thousand library documents. In comparison with 2010 this number increased with 58 thousands.

There are 27 non-specialized libraries in cities that are regional centers with library collections of 11 778 thousand items. The library loans in them increased by 179.5 thousands (4.9%) in comparison with the previous year.

In 2011, books in the libraries were 18 427 thousands or 56.3% of the entire library collection. In comparison with 2010 their number increased with 4.3 percentage points (331.0 thousands). The share of the continued editions in 2011 was 14.5% of the whole library collection, and the other library documents (audio-visual, electronic, graphic and cartographic editions, patents and standards and micro-forms) -29.2%. All these libraries provided information services, including: online catalogue, library web sites, electronic supplies, electronic directory services, e-learning users, Internet access.

In 2011 the National Library “St. St. Cyril and Methodius” had 7 809 thousand library documents. In comparison with 2010 this number increased with 58 thousands.

These are 27 Non-specialized libraries in the district centres with library collection of 11 778 thousand items. The library collection loaned in these libraries increased by 179.5 thousands (4.9%) in comparison with the previous year.

In 2011 the books in the libraries were 18 427 thousands or 56.3% of the entire library collection. In comparison with 2010 their number increased with 4.3 percentage points (331.0 thousands). The share of the continued editions in 2011 was 14.5% of the whole library collection, and the other library documents (audio-visual, electronic, graphic and cartographic editions, patents and standards and micro-forms) -29.2%. All these libraries provided information services, including: online catalogue, library web sites, electronic supplies, electronic directory services, e-learning users, Internet access.

AUDIO-VISUAL ACTIVITIES

Audio-visual activities cover the activities of film production, cinemas, radio and television programs.

Film production

91 films were produced in Bulgaria in 2011 (full-length, short-length and medium-length films). In comparison with 2010 the number of films produced in the country decreased by 36.8% (53 films).

In 2011, the produced documentary and educational short-length and medium-length films were 54 - 1.6 times less than in 2010 and represent nearly 77.1% of them. The number of the feature short-length and medium-length films in 2011 was 7. The produced short-length and medium-length films for the cinema network were 5, for television 63 and 6 of them are series with 95 episodes, 53 are documentaries and 4 cartoons.

The produced full-length films in 2011 were the same number as in the previous year - 21 films, 11 of them are produced for the cinema network and 9 are television movies. The share of produced films for the cinema network in 2011 is 17.6% from the total number of the produced films and in comparison with 2010 this share has increased with 7.9 percentage points.

In 2011, the produced films especially for the television were 79.1% from the total number of produced films, which is with 9.7% more than in 2010.

Cinemas

At the end of 2011, the number of operating cinemas in Bulgaria was 43, and the number of the screens reached 150, which was a result of the building of new modern cinemas well-appointed with modern technology. The average attendance for the year of one screen was about 31 thousand persons. The share of multiplexes presented 18.6% of cinemas, 60.0% of screens, 54.3% of the seats, 69.2% of screenings and 76.9% of visits in cinemas.

A positive trend was observed in the number of screenings and visitors in cinemas. In 2011 the number of screenings in cinemas increased by 23.1% and visitors – by 11.8% in comparison with 2010. Revenue from tickets for the country in 2011 (BGN 35.7 M) increased by nearly BGN 2.7 M, or 8.2% in comparison with 2010. The highest ticket price was found again in Pleven district (BGN 8.50), followed by the districts of Stara Zagora and Veliko Tarnovo (BGN 8.10), Sofia (capital) -(BGN 8.00), Plovdiv (BGN 7.60), Varna (BGN 7.50) and Burgas (BGN 7.20). The lowest ticket prices were paid in the districts of Gabrovo, Shumen, Haskovo and Vratsa - from BGN 3.00 to 3.80.

The 4 254 films were showed in 2011, 466 of them were Bulgarian, 1 003 European, 2 544 from USA and 241 from other countries.

In 2011, the biggest number of cinemas was found in the southwestern region - 15 cinemas with 127 thousand shows, visited by 2.8 million viewers. There were 11 working cinemas in Sofia with 1 704 films showed, out of which: 202 - Bulgarian films, 672 - European, 711 from USA and 119 from other countries.

Radio program activities

In 2011, the radio operators (87 radios and radio nets) aired 640.2 thousand hours of radio broadcasts, which is with 5.1% less in comparison with 2010. In 2011, the biggest share of radio broadcasts was those of musical programs - 38.3% from the total number. In comparison with 2010, this share decreased with 1.9%. The share of news, bulletins, commentaries, sporting news and forecasts was 12.0% of all radio broadcasts, which was 2.8% more than in 2010. In comparison with the previous year, there was an increase of the share of “factual/information” broadcasts from 10.7% in 2010 to 13.6% in 2011, or 3.0% more. The share of broadcasts for “art and culture” in 2011 was 2.9%, which was with 2 910 hours less than in 2010. At the same time the “educational” broadcasts share remained almost constant - 1.5% (2010 - 9 930; 2011 - 9 801 hours). In 2011, “children's-youth's” broadcasts occupied 1.6% (10 147 hours) of all broadcasts. Accordingly, the share of “entertainment” broadcasts was 3.0% (19 506 hours), of the “light entertainment” - 6.7% (42 995 hours), and the share of advertisements represented - 4.4% (28 139 hours) from all broadcasts.

Television program activities  

In 2011, there were 101 registered and licensed Bulgarian TV operators. In the same year, land, cable and satellite televisions broadcasted 683.1 thousand hours of programs. The number of TV program hours increased by 3.4% in comparison with 2010. The biggest share belonged to “fiction programs” (feature films, television or video works) - 29.4% (201.1 thousand hours) from the total and decreased by 4.9 percentage points in comparison with 2010. The share of “music programs” decreased from 19.5% in 2010 to 13.8% in 2011, or by 5.7 percentage points. In 2011, the share of “Entertainment programs” was 38 017 hours, of “information programs” (38 399 hours) - 5.6% and “information/entertainment” (30 914 hours) or 4.5% of total programs. Accordingly, the share of “children's programs” was 2.3% (15 793 hours), of “education programs” - 1.5% (10 510 hours), and broadcasted advertisements were 6.1% (41 374 hours) of all programs.

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