Youth and culture

(Les jeunes et la culture)

July 15, 201015 July 2010

Issue

Arts education and participation

Article Link

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/dossiers/les-jeunes-et-la-culture/

This survey of 600 students in 10 Quebec colleges was conducted by journalists at La Presse in February 2010. Unfortunately, the report does not provide an estimate of the margin of error. This is a major limitation on any interpretation of the results.

The survey found that the favourite activities of these French-language students (typically 17 to 19 years of age) are:

• Listening to music (selected as a favourite activity by 26% of respondents).
• Using the computer (21%).
• Going to movies (14%).
• Creating works, such as music, video, theatre, etc. (12%).
• Going to performances (11%).
• Watching television (8%).
• Reading a book (7%).
• Going to a museum or seeing an exhibition (1%).

 Activities that are less popular among the youth include:
Going to a classical music concert: 91% never go (74% of these youth say that they are “not interested” in going and 11% say that it is too expensive).

• Seeing a dance performance: 75% never do (61% because they are not interested and 11% because it is too expensive).
• Seeing a comedy show: 59% never do (only 20% because they are not interested and 32% because it is too expensive).
• Seeing a pop, rock, rap, etc. concert: 48% never do (only 22% because they are not interested and 37% because it is too expensive).
• Going to the theatre: 37% never go (39% of those who never go indicate that they are not interested and 18% say that it is too expensive).

Music is the predominant cultural activity of the youth: 87% listen to music daily (or almost daily). Not surprisingly, the youth use the internet frequently, largely for musical activities (listening, copying, exchanging or buying). The survey found that 71% of the college students surveyed regularly download music without paying for it, and 34% of the students never buy CDs.

Many of the youth surveyed, especially teenage girls, read for pleasure: 52% of all the students read at least once a week or more, including 21% who read every day. On the other hand, one-third of the youth (and 40% of boys) read almost never. Many watch television quite frequently: 53% do so daily (or almost daily), and another 19% watch television about three or four days per week. Many of the youth (38%) watch TV shows on the internet.

In terms of creating works, the survey found that about half of the students (47%) do a creative activity (“music, videos, theatre, etc.”) at least once a week, including 20% who create every day. Many creative activities take place on the computer.

The survey has some interesting findings regarding the language preferences of the youth: 64% prefer music in English compared to only 6% in French. The other respondents stated that they do not care what language their music is in.

The study also highlights the efforts that some Montreal cultural organizations are making to attract youth to their concert halls, theatres and museums. Before each opening night, “performers from the Opéra de Montréal sing excerpts from the new production in their jeans in the subway system”. The Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal invites “students to meet the young, charismatic maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin”. A number of organizations try to attract youth with reduced ticket prices or by presenting exhibitions that should be of interest to them.