In 2020, less than 60 thousand concert guests attended 424 concerts in the three main concert halls in Iceland, Harpa, Salurinn and Hof. Of those, 45,575 attended 330 concerts in Harpa, 12,534 attended 76 concerts in Salurinn and 1,872 guests attended 18 concerts in Hof. Attendance in Harpa and Hof has thereby never been less than in 2020. Concert attendance in Salurinn was less in 2000 and 2001 but as a proportion of the population attendance it was lowest in 2020, or 3.44% compared with 3.48% in 2001 and 3.9% in 2000.1
In 2019, the concerts were 695 and over 205 thousand guests attended, which means there was a great decrease between 2019 and 2020. This is especially true concerning attendance which in 2020 was only 30% of the numbers for the previous year. The decrease is attributable to Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions introduced on gatherings in Iceland in 2020.
The number of both concerts and concert guests have been decreasing since 2016. Between 2013-2019, 300 - 400 guests on average attended each concert. In 2019 this number amounted to 296 while dropping to 141 in 2020.
Decreased attendance to symphonic concerts in 2020
In 2020, a total of 17,658 guests attended a total of 55 national concerts by the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra. Attendance has not been less since 1977 when 17,500 guests attended their concerts. In 1977, however, those 17,500 amounted to 7.9% of the population, but the 17,648 of 2020 equaled 4.3% of that year’s population.
SinfoniaNord did not have any public concerts in 2020 but 400 guests attended four school concerts. Neither the number of concerts not the attendance has ever been lower.
Much like with the concert halls there was a great decrease in the number of concerts and their attendance between 2019 and 2020. Concerts in Iceland were twice as many in 2019, or 96, and concert guests five times as many, or 80,248.
About the data
Statistics Iceland annually collects information about concerts from the Icelandic Symphonic Orchestra, SinfoniaNord, Hof, Harpa and Salurinn. Concerts held by the symphonic orchestras in any of the three concert halls are included in both data sets (that is from the orchestras and the concert halls).