To mark Palestinian National Culture Day on 13 March, PCBS has reviewed the status of cultural institutions in Palestine in 2017. A cultural institution is defined as an institution that includes items (tools and equipment) used for arts, crafts, recreational and sports activities that work for the promotion and preservation of culture and facilitate the practice of cultural activities in a broad sense.


625 cultural centers operating in Palestine in 2017
There were 625 cultural centers operating in Palestine in 2017 (602 provided data and 23 did not respond); 545 cultural centers in the West Bank (526 provided data and 19 did not respond) and 80 in Gaza Strip (76 provided data and 4 did not respond). The highest number of in-operation cultural centers was in the Nablus governorate with 92, followed by Bethlehem governorate with 87. Cultural centers that responded, reported providing 9 thousand cultural activities in 2017: 6.7% of these activities were seminars, 5.7% lectures, 72.1% training courses, 12.9% performances, and 2.6% exhibitions. In 2016, the number of activities was about 10 thousand.

About 515 thousand people participated in cultural activities for in-operation cultural centers in Palestine in 2017
In 2017, about 515 thousand people participated in cultural activities in the operating cultural centers that responded: about 427 thousand participants in the West Bank and 88 thousand participants in Gaza Strip. The highest participation in cultural activities was in Bethlehem Governorate with about 147 thousand participants, followed by Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate with about 78 thousand participants. In Khan Yunis Governorate, there were only about 5 thousand participants. In 2016, about 583 thousand people participated  in cultural activities.

About 358 thousand visitors to museums in 2017
There were 32 museums operating in Palestine in 2017: 27 museums in the West Bank and 5 museums in Gaza Strip. Two of the museums West Bank did not respond. There were about 358 thousand museum visitors to the museums, which provided data: 81.8% were Palestinians and 18.2% from other nationalities. The results showed that the largest number of visitors was about 70 thousand in April and the lowest number was in June with about 15 thousand visitors. In 2016, the number of visitors to museums totaled about 206 thousand.

About 39% of theatre plays were for adults in 2017
There were 15 in operation theaters in Palestine: 12 in the West Bank and 3 in Gaza Strip. 278 plays were performed in Palestine in 2017: 238 plays in the West Bank and 40 in Gaza Strip. Of these, 38.9% of plays were for adults, 25.5% were for children, and 35.6% were for both children and adults. Palestinian actors performed in 91.0% of plays and 9.0% were performed by actors of other nationalities. There were about 90 thousand attendances to plays, the highest number in March with about 16 thousand attendances, followed by February with about 12 thousand visitors. In 2016, the number of attendances of plays totaled about 102 thousand.