Catalan theaters make history: 4 million spectators and 115 million euros in revenue

BarcelonaThe Association of Theatre Companies of Catalonia (Adetca) offers data on Barcelona's theatres every September. And this year, for the first time, it also provides data for the whole country thanks to an initiative by the Department of Culture. Added to the figures collected by Adetca in Barcelona are now those of the municipal and private venues in the rest of the country. The result: in the 2025-2026 season, Catalan theatres have gathered 4,081,780 spectators and have collected 115,569,804 euros, with an occupancy of 67%, in 16,988 performances of 2,829 shows.

"The promise to have data for all of Catalonia has been fulfilled, and next year we will be able to make a comparison," said the president of Adetca, Isabel Vidal, in a press conference held at the Centre de les Arts Lliures Fundació Joan Brossa in Barcelona. Indeed, there is no previous global data, but everything suggests that it is a historic result because the Barcelona theatres, which represent the bulk of the theatrical programming, have closed a record season, with growth in all variables: 3,176,328 spectators (42,000 more than in 2024-2025), 103,093,801 euros of revenue (9 million more) and an occupancy of 67.19% (3 points more) in 13,196 performances (31 fewer) of 1,289 shows (46 more). "With more audience there is more capacity for risk," recalls Vidal, satisfied with data that show "the expression of the collective strength" of the theatre sector. It has been three consecutive seasons exceeding 3 million spectators in Barcelona.

More theatre spectators in Catalan

It has also been a very good season for theatre in Catalan, which for the second consecutive year is the most watched: 1,546,146 spectators, a figure similar to last year's, when it overtook theatre in Spanish. In Barcelona, shows in Catalan receive 49% of the audience. Theatre in Spanish gathers 1,100,469 spectators (35%), bilingual theatre 65,927 (2%), and in other languages, 306,948 (10%); it must be kept in mind that operas performed at the Liceu are counted, the majority in languages such as Italian and German. Shows without text received 156,838 spectators (5%).

The good result for theatre in Catalan does not depend on a single title, but on the good reception of various works: there are seven shows in Catalan among the ten shows with the largest audience in Barcelona: L'amor venia en taxi, Hamlet (by Peyu and Albert Pla), Ànima, Germans de sang, El petit príncep, Pel davant i pel darrera and Avui no ploraré.

Coinciding with the theatrical balance and the incorporation of data from the whole country, the Minister of Culture, Sònia Hernández Almodóvar, has announced that in the first semester of 2027 the Culture Data Observatory will be launched, a tool provided for in the future law of cultural rights. "It will allow having data for the design of cultural policies and will offer open, accessible and consultable data for everyone," said the minister.

The 10 shows with the most spectators in Barcelona:

El Mago Pop, at the Teatre Victòria: 196,762 spectators (99.85% occupancy in 169 performances)The Phantom of the Opera, at the Tívoli Theatre: 137,469 (67.31% in 138 performances)Improshow, at Teatreneu. Xavier Fàbregas Hall: 81,612 (62.48% in 365 performances)Love came by taxi, at the Teatre Romea: 79,798 (81.07% in 155 performances)Hamlet, by Albert Pla and Peyu, at the Coliseum Theatre: 65,119 (88.03% in 61 performances)Ànima, at Teatre Tívoli: 53,687 (41.70% in 87 performances)The Little Prince, at Paral·lel 62: 47,370 (95.68% in 73 performances)Blood Brothers, at Teatre Condal: 47,230 (79.49% in 85 performances)Noises Off, at Teatre Borràs: 45,882 (68.27% in 96 performances)I will not cry today, at the Goya Theatre: 40,728 (89% in 88 performances)The 10 shows in venues with fewer than 200 seats with the most spectators in Barcelona

Corta el cable rojo,atTeatre Muntaner: 53,582 spectators (77.88% occupancy in 344 performances)Permafrost, at Espai Texas: 12,567 (87.27% in 72 performances)Ovelles, at Espai Texas: 11,849 (84.64% in 70 performances)Unpaired, at Espai Texas: 10,323 (77.04% in 67 performances)Loop, at Espai Texas: 8,028 (87.26% in 46 performances)And Then There Were None, at the Sala ARS Teatre BCN: 7,907 (48.41% in 99 performances) 69, The comedy, at the Sala ARS Teatre BCN: 5,263 (67.87% in 47 performances)Inexplicable, at Teatreneu: 4,919 (79.02% in 83 performances)From fandom to trolling a satire of the blah, blah, blah, at the Sala Beckett: 4,792 (99.25% in 24 performances)How I learned to drive, at the Sala Beckett: 4,374 (81.41% in 27 performances)The 25 theaters in Barcelona with the most spectators

Tivoli Theatre: 265,670Gran Teatre del Liceu: 259,053Coliseum Theatre: 251,439Victòria Theatre 245,644Goya Theatre: 186,435Poliorama Theatre: 175,359Borràs Theatre: 151,643Apolo Theatre: 136,292Teatreneu Xavier Fàbregas Hall: 132,673Romea Theatre: 128,612Condal Theatre: 120,482La Villarroel: 98,781Teatre Lliure Fabià Puigserver Hall: 74,284Teatre Nacional de Catalunya Grand Hall: 70,892Eixample Theatre: 60,555Jove Teatre Regina: 52,997SAT! Sant Andreu Theatre: 50,562Paral·lel 62: 47,370Greek Theatre: 34,220Aquitaine: 33,093Teatre Lliure Gràcia: 31,559La Biblioteca Theatre: 28,260Teatre Nacional de Catalunya Small Hall: 25,149Mercat de les Flors Maria Aurèlia Capmany Hall: 24,219Teatre Gaudí Barcelona Main Hall: 18,990