Research activity

The studies are conducted by an inter-disciplinary team, made of experts in management, statistics, sociology, art, history, marketing, cultural anthropology, political sciences and economy.

The Research team is interdisciplinary, being made up of specialists in management, art, history, sociology, marketing, cultural anthropology, political science and economics.

The most important research activity carried out by INCFC is the Cultural Consumption Barometer. At the same time, our researchers have consistently adapted to the demands of the constantly changing cultural market and have carried out studies such as: Cultural Vitality of Romanian Cities, Cultural Life Index in Romania, Comparative Statistics of the Cultural Sector, Sponsorship in the Field of Culture, Contribution of Sectors Cultural and Creative at the National Economy, Foreign Trade of Creative and Cultural Goods.

INCFC, upon request, engages in:

  • Impact studies for festivals, cultural programs, promotion campaigns, artistic events that contain, among other things, a cost-benefit analysis of the services offered and measure the effect on the target group.
  • Market studies related to the consumer profile, cultural capital or analysis of perception and visibility.
  • Audience / market studies especially dedicated to the performing arts organizations that can thus identify ways to attract the public, but also what their needs are.
  • Tracking and timing studies especially dedicated to museums and art galleries that can identify ways to increase the number of visitors and notoriety, but also how to improve their position in the market compared to their competitors.
  • Cultural management analyses that involve identifying the differences between them and competitors, positioning them on the market and providing impartial information for a management strategy that determines the increase of the income and the diversification of the financing sources.
  • Case studiesfor cultural projects that analyse the issues that have been the basis of the success or failure of a cultural project, identify the problems and provide solutions to solve them.

The research activity is coordinated by a Specialty Council (Scientific Council), formed of personalities who occupy top positions in the higher education of cultural and artistic specialty, in cultural institutions, as well as in the field of research or continuous professional training.

The results of INCFC’s research and studies are promoted via Culturadata Interactiv, an interactive data visualisation platform, launched by INCFC in January 2018. The platform provides graphs, tables, maps, statistics on the multiannual evolution and national, regional and county distribution of these indicators, and it consists of sections that provide a coherent and explicit image both on the public infrastructure (the network of public cultural institutions in the territory) and on the population’s cultural consumption.

The National Institute for Cultural Research and Training processes personal data for the purpose of “opinion polls, studies and research”, in accordance with the legislation in force, respectively Law no. 677/2001 for the protection of persons regarding the processing of personal data and the free movement of this data, as subsequently amended and supplemented.

Ongoing researches

1. The 2022 Cultural Consumption Barometer

The most important research study carried out by Culturadata, the Cultural Consumption Barometer, returns with the 2022 edition, which will contain statistical data on the current topics of the Romanian cultural sphere. After a two-year break, during the pandemic, the Barometer will focus on:

  • Cultural leisurepractices and public cultural consumption
  • Non-public cultural consumption
  • Tolerance and social trust
  • Democratic values
  • Social participation

The nationally representative sample will be kept the same as in previous editions.

2. The Cultural Vitality of Cities

The study is based on the methodological model used by the Washington Urban Institute in their study Cultural Vitality in Communities: Interpretation and Indicators (2006).

The indicators available at city level refer to: cultural infrastructure, cultural participation, budget / expenditure on cultural activities, specialised human resources, Cultural and Creative Sectors and the case study on The Cultural Vitality of Bucharest City.

3. Analysis of Cultural and Creative Sectors' dynamics

The study is based on the methodology for identifying the impact of Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS) on the national economy used in the Functional Analysis of the Cultural System. The main objectives of the research are: identifying the potential and economic impact of the CCS on the national economy; determining the economic dimension of the CCS.

4. Study on cultural education in Romania

The study aims to identify the need and the level of interest in introducing the occupation of cultural education specialist.

The study will take into account the opinions of specialists in public cultural institutions who have carried out cultural education projects for children and young people, but also the opinions of students and master’s students from Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences on the desirability of such a profession. The study also aims to identify any challenges involved in this activity.

5. Study "Cultural aspects of aggression and violence in public spaces"

The research will be carried out in partnership with the Institute for Quality of Life Research (IQLR) and will develop a common methodology for analysing aggression and violence in public spaces, with Culturadata focusing on cultural aspects and IQLR on social aspects.

Starting from the identification of concepts and theories on cultural aspects of aggression and violence in public spaces and the identification of the dynamics of aggressive behaviours in the post-pandemic period, the study will include comparisons between such behaviours at national and international level. At the same time, the study will provide solutions and recommendations for stakeholders.

6. UNESCO Culture | 2030 Indicators

The UNESCO Culture | 2030 Indicators project provides evidence of the transforming role of culture, being based on an in-depth analysis of the many ways in which culture contributes to the economic, social and environmental dimensions of development. The implementation of the project is ensured by the partnership between the Ministry of Culture, the National Institute for Cultural Research and Training (Culturadata), the City Hall of Cluj-Napoca, Babeș-Bolyai University – Interdisciplinary Centre for Data Science, Cluj Cultural Centre, UNESCO and in collaboration with the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS).

Conceptual framework, methodology and mechanisms for implementing the UNESCO Culture | 2030 Indicators builds as much as possible on existing data sources, using qualitative and quantitative data. This project is meant to facilitate cooperation between institutions and proposes a framework adaptable to the different capacities for collecting and aggregating statistical data.

The 22 UNESCO Culture | 2030 indicators are grouped under 4 dimensions: Environment and Resilience, Prosperity and Livelihoods, Knowledge and Skills, Inclusion and Participation. Each dimension corresponds to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda, and the indicators measure the degree to which the SDGs are being met at national and local levels.

7. Antisemitism Strategy Study

The study is conducted as part of the evaluation process on the implementation of the National Strategy for Preventing and Combating Anti-Semitism, Xenophobia, Radicalisation and Hate Speech for the period 2021-2023.