The population has become “more reticent” about attending cultural activities since June, a pollExternal link commissioned by the Federal Office of Culture found.
At the end of August 42% of the 1,000 people who took part in the survey said they would only start going to culture-related events or activities in 2021; in June this figure stood at 22%.
The percentage varies according to the activity: around 43% said they were not prepared to attend a concert or a show at a theatre, opera or circus. Meanwhile, 36% said they would not go to a museum or exhibition, and 64% said they would avoid festivals.
Financial support
The cultural sector in Switzerland has struggled amid the pandemic. The government approved a financial package worth CHF280 million ($306 million) to help businesses and institutions cope with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in Switzerland. Yet around 65% of those questioned in the new survey felt the cultural sector should receive extra financial support.
Meanwhile, the number of new positive cases continues to creep up, with an average case count of 65 per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks. The daily number of new infections across the country, based on a seven-day average, stands at 422. This represents a 14% rise on the previous week. Vaud, Zurich, Geneva, Fribourg, Bern and Aargau are the worst-affected cantons.
More
More
Coronavirus: the situation in Switzerland
This content was published on
An overview of the latest Covid-related information in the Alpine nation.
Macron will attend Swiss summit on Ukraine, says Zelensky
This content was published on
French President Emmanuel Macron will attend the peace conference on Ukraine at the Swiss Bürgenstock resort next month, according to Volodymyr Zelensky.
Top politician tells ‘corrupt’ Eurovision to stay away from Bern
This content was published on
A social media post by the president of Bern’s cantonal government critical of the Eurovision Song Contest has created waves and will be discussed in the cantonal parliament.
Swiss centre records over 200 victims of human trafficking
This content was published on
Last year 317 people took part in a protection programme run by the Specialist Unit for Trafficking in Women and Women’s Migration (FIZ) in German-speaking Switzerland.
This content was published on
The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and partners are opening a field hospital in southern Gaza on Tuesday.
Lack of smartphone sustainability in Switzerland hits environment
This content was published on
Almost half of all Swiss citizens hang on to their old smartphones, tablets and laptops, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
Police clear out pro-Palestinian students protesting in Geneva
This content was published on
The police intervened early on Tuesday to dislodge pro-Palestinian students who had been occupying the University of Geneva for almost a week.
New gel developed in Zurich renders alcohol harmless
This content was published on
A newly developed gel composed of whey proteins breaks down alcohol in the body and could reduce its harmful and intoxicating effects in humans.
Pro-Palestine protests extend to Basel and Fribourg universities
This content was published on
Demonstrators called for an academic boycott of all Israeli institutions and disassociation with Chaim Weizmann, the first Israeli president.
Strict anti-Covid measures applied to Swiss mass events
This content was published on
The government has announced a series of conditions for the resumption of mass events in Switzerland to curb the spread of coronavirus infections.
This content was published on
This year’s edition of the world’s biggest art fair, initially rescheduled until September, has now been cancelled altogether.
Emergency funding made available for artists and designers
This content was published on
People who work in the cultural sector in Switzerland can now apply for funds to cushion the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.