Performing arts in the Culture Monitor
The performing arts are multi-faceted. In order to do better justice to individual developments and issues within (sub)domains, we bring together specific data and research in two domains: Theatre en Music. On the domain page Theatre we present key figures on theatre, music theatre, dance and movement and cabaret and small-scale art, while the domain page Music focuses on the music sector in its entirety. However, there are also data – such as on employment – that cannot yet be broken down into these domains. Figures on the performing arts as a whole are therefore also presented on this page. In the future, we will investigate whether and how this domain page can provide an overview of issues that play a role in the performing arts as a whole – beyond the developments that are already discussed on the individual domain pages.
Key figures
Performances: The data in the figure below show developments in the performing arts over two decades – with 2023 as the last year with available figures (CBS 2025a). For example, we see that music always had the most performances compared to the other disciplines within the performing arts. Dance and movement has the smallest number of performances in all years. In 2022 and 2023, we saw the number of performances gradually return to the pre-corona level. Only the number of cabaret and small-scale art performances and theatre performances did not yet exceed the 2023 level in 2019. It is also noticeable that the share of 'other performances' has increased since 2020. This includes literary, elocution, performance and performing arts that cannot be classified elsewhere. The question remains where the increase within this category lies: are we, for example, increasingly dealing with new forms of performing arts that cannot yet be captured in existing categories?
Visits: All performing arts together attracted more than 2022 million visits in 20 – which exceeds the visitor numbers of 2019 (CBS 2025a). This is mainly due to an increase in the number of visits to music performances. Where 2019 million visits were made in 9,3, this will be 2023 million in 11. For theatre, music theatre and cabaret and small-scale art, the number of visits in 2023 is not yet equal to the number of visits in 2019. This is particularly striking for music theatre, because the number of performances in 2023 was back to the same level as before the corona years.
Employment: Looking at the number of employed persons in the performing arts, we see a clear growth between 2005 and 2019 – with the exception of a slight decrease in 2012/2013 and 2020/2021: from 16.800 employed persons to 32.800 persons in 2023 (CBS 2025b). In 2020, the corona crisis led to an abrupt decrease to 21.800 employed persons, but in 2021 and 2022 the figures show a slight increase in the total number of employed persons.
Most types of employment contracts have shown a gradual increase since 2005. In particular, the number of temporary workers and volunteers and interns has shown a steady growth, despite a slight dip here and there over the years. For all employment contracts, there was a strong decline in the corona years, but this decline was particularly strong for temporary workers (see also the research by Goudriaan et al. 2021). It is striking that the number of volunteers and interns has increased over the years to such an extent that this has become the largest group of employed persons within the professional performing arts in 2023. For all employment contracts, the number of employed persons is again rising above the pre-corona level.
Sources
CBS (2025a) Professional performing arts; capacity, performances, visitors, region. On: www.opendata.cbs.nl, February 18.
CBS (2025b) Professional performing arts; employment, benefits and costs. On: www.opendata.cbs.nl, February 18.
Goudriaan, R. et al. (2021) Unequally affected, unequally supported: effects of the corona crisis in the cultural sector. Amsterdam/Utrecht/The Hague: Boekmanstichting/SiRM/Significant APE.
Image credit
Opera in the forest / Photography: Lisa Maatjens