Sasha
London Mayor Boris Johnson commissioned the World Cities Culture Report 2012, a report which compares the cultural stats of 12 major cities around the world. So… how do we compare? Is New York’s culture still bursting with activity, or have our brethren across the seas surpassed us?
The Contenders
Berlin, Istanbul, Johannesburg, London, Mumbai, Paris, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo
The Arts
Highlights:
- Paris takes the gold in four categories: Art Galleries, Movie Theaters, Film Festivals, and Musical Performances
- New York places 1st in Number of Theatres, Total Performances, and Dance Performances
New York |
First Place |
|
Number of National Museums |
8th Place- 5 museums |
Shanghai- 27 museums |
Number of Art Galleries |
3rd Place- 721 galleries |
Paris- 1,046 galleries |
Number of Movie Theaters |
4th Place- 117 theaters |
Paris- 302 theaters |
Number of Film Festivals |
3rd Place- 57 festivals |
Paris- 190 |
Attendance at most popularfilm festival: |
2nd Place- 410,000 attendees |
Berlin- 484,860 attendees |
Number of Theatres |
1st Place- 420 theatres |
Us! |
Total Performances |
1st Place- 43,004 performances |
Us! |
Music |
2nd Place- 22,204 performances |
Paris- 33,020 performances |
Comedy |
2nd Place- 11,076 performances |
London- 11,388 performances |
Dance |
1st Place- 6,292 performances |
Us! |
Paris, the City of Love, is now the City of Art too. With over 1,000 art galleries, 300 movie theaters and almost 200 film festivals, Paris is the place to indulge in one’s artistic senses. However, New York dominates the performance scene! With 420 theatres and over 43,000 total performances, there is no better place to catch a show than right here in the Big Apple. After all, if you can make it here… you might as well stay to enjoy it.
Wining, Dining, and Celebrations
Highlights:
- Tokyo undoubtedly takes the gold, placing first in Number of Bars, Restaurants, and Celebrations
- New York lands 2nd in Number of Bars and Largest Festival Attendance
New York |
First Place |
|
Number of Nightclubs, Discos, and Dance Halls |
3rd Place- 584 dance clubs |
Sao Paulo- 2,000 dance clubs |
Number of Bars |
2nd Place- 7,224 bars |
Tokyo- 14,184 bars |
Per 100,000 people |
2nd Place- 88 bars |
Tokyo- 108 bars |
Number of Restaurants |
4th Place- 22,327 restaurants |
Tokyo- 150,510 restaurants |
Per 100,000 people |
3rd Place- 295 restaurants |
Tokyo- 1,144 restaurants |
Number of Festivals and Celebrations |
4th Place- 309 celebrations |
Tokyo- 485 celebrations |
Attendance at most popularfestival/celebration: |
2nd Place- 2,500,000 attendees |
Sao Paulo- 4,000,000 attendees |
Tokyo is the wining and dining heavyweight champ, taking three categories by a landslide each. Tokyo has 14,184 bars, and New York graciously accepts 2nd place with half that, 7,224. Tokyo has almost 151,000 restaurants, while Shanghai trails at a measly 55,614. Finally, Tokyo is all the rage with 485 annual celebrations; Paris picks up 2nd with only 360.
Where We Stand
We might not have the most of much, but we certainly don’t have the worst! With world renowned museums, virtually unlimited theatrical entertainment, and a dining scene that never sleeps, New York’s culture is still at the top of its game. Besides, if we’re talking about cultural diversity, we take first: 36.8% of our population is foreign-born, while Sydney comes in a close second with 34.4%. Well, we still hold our title as the World’s Largest Melting Pot!
Expand your cultural horizons with some classes on Vimbly!
References
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/arts-and-lifestyle/2012/08/confirmed-stereotype-day-brazilians-love-dance/2792/#
http://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/WorldCitiesCultureReport.pdf