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Local and regional authority cultural expenditure went up 17% between 2015 and 2019 before dropping to 7% in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.In 2020, total cultural expenditure by local and regional authorities amounted to some 8.7 billion euros, i.e. 129 euros per head of population. Municipalities with 3,500 inhabitants or more and their groupings with own taxation account for over three quarters of this expenditure to the tune of 6.8bn euros, i.e. 114 euros per head of population, followed the départements, which contribute up to 1bn euros, i.e. 16 euros per head of population, then the regions, contributing 800 million euros, i.e. 12 euros per head of population.The municipalities with 3,500 inhabitants or more and their groupings respectively allocate 7.5% and 5% of their budget to culture. The regions and départements devote less of their spending power to culture, with respectively only 2.3% and 1.6% allocated for this purpose.Different local authority types make different per-sector allocations when it comes to culture. For municipalities with 3,500 inhabitants or more and their groupings, cultural heritage* (36%) and artistic and cultural activities (32%) tend to attract a higher proportion of spending. Départements mobilize a larger share for cultural heritage (60%). On the other hand, the regions spend the vast majority of their culture budget (80%) on artistic activities and cultural action.Between 2015 and 2019, looking at all sectors as a whole, the way that local and regional authorities allocate their resources does not change: 80% of the total cultural expenditure of municipalities and their groupings goes on direct expenditure (staff costs, operating and investment costs), with 20% going on subsidies. The distribution of départemental cultural expenditure is more balanced, with 54% going on direct expenditure and 46% on subsidies. Conversely, for the regions, subsidies represent 87% of their total cultural expenditure and direct expenditure just 13%.For municipalities and their groupings, staffing expenditure accounts for half of their direct cultural expenditure, whilst for départements the figure is 43%. The reading and multimedia library sector accounts for the greater part of expenditure for both types of local authority. Départements also spend a similar amount on archive staff. * Museums, reading and multimedia libraries, archives and cultural heritage maintenance.