Study: More Australians attend films than music events

More Australians prefer to go to the cinema than attend music events, according to the Australia Council’s newly released study, the Interactive Local Region Arts Engagement Dashboard.

The data was put together by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), covering the period of June 2013 to July 2014.

The study reveals that 33% attended a pop music concert compared to 66% who went to see a movie. The cinema was still the prevailing choice even when pop music, classical music, musicals and operas were combined, producing a lowly total of 42%.

However, 89% of people across the country went out to experience a cultural event while 59% revealed they had been to at least one arts event or venue.

Of other categories, 35% attended libraries and archives in the sampled period and 32% visited performing arts events. 28% went to museums while 20% of people indicated that they were present at classical music concerts, musicals and opera.

In terms of those who participated in the arts, the highest was visual arts and/or crafts (18%), performing arts (8%) and writing (7%). Those who participated in a total of arts and/or cultural activities only made up 27%.

Tony Grybowski, Australia Council for the Arts’ Chief Executive, said, “This type of critical information can be used to better inform and understand how people engage with the arts in their local communities, which is invaluable for all levels of government, locally-based artists and arts organisations, touring programs and businesses operating in the sector.”

Director of the Cultural Development Network John Smithies said the Australia Council’s initiative to publish arts participation data in an accessible format is an important step in understanding of the breadth of local arts, cultural activity and participation across Australia.

“The capacity to see regional differences in activity and participation levels will complement the work done by local government in understanding participation by their own programs and importantly the outcomes of that participation.

“The ongoing use of this data, combined with data at a local government level, will build a richer picture of our participation in cultural activities across Australia.”

The Interactive Local Region Arts Engagement Dashboard also revealed that more people in Parramatta (23%) created or participated in the arts compared to Sydney’s eastern Suburbs (18%). Events such as Parramatta Park’s Symphony Under The Stars has contributed significantly to these figures.

ACT residents were by far the most engaged audiences in the country, with 91% attending arts or cultural venues or events, followed by Victoria at 86% and South Australia and Western Australia at 85%.

89% of residents in Cairns attended arts events or venues compared to 73% in Latrobe-Gippsland, while in Victoria, inner Melbourne had a 54% attendance rate for live music. However, it was relatively high in the regionals, with Ballarat generating a 44% attendance and Bendigo at 38%.