A Statistical Overview

Arts and Culture in Victoria

This statistical snapshot brings together the latest data on Victoria's arts and cultural sector.

The report was produced by the National Centre for Culture and Recreation Statistics of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Information in the report is based on the most recent available data from the ABS, the Statistics Working Group of the Cultural Ministers Council and other sources.

Summary

Employment and work

877,300 people in Victoria were involved in a culture or leisure activity in 2007.

• 21% of all people aged 15 years and over living in Victoria undertook some paid or unpaid work in culture and leisure activities in the 12 months prior to interview in April 2007, totalling 877,300 people.
  - Of these, 32% or 278,800 received payment for their work.
• 127,259 people in Victoria were employed in cultural activities as their main job in 2006.

Cultural employment (main job) - Victoria 2006

Attendance and participation

85% of people in Victoria attended cultural venues and events in 12 months prior to interview in 2005-06.

• 3.4 million people living in Victoria attended a selected cultural venue or event at least once during the 12 months prior to interview in 2005-06, representing 85% of the population aged 15 years and over.

Attendance Rates at Cultural Venues and Events (by people aged 15 years and over) Victoria, 2005-06

(a) In the 12 months before interview.
(b) Persons aged 15 years and over.
Source: ABS, Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues and Events, Australia, 2005-06 (cat. no. 4114.0).

• 94% of young people (15-24 years) in Victoria attended a cultural venue or event in 12 months prior to interview in 2005-06.
• In the 12 months prior to April 2009, over two thirds (71%) of Victorian children aged 5-14 years attended a public library, gallery, museum or performing arts event at least once outside of school hours.
• 22% of people in Victoria aged 5 years and over with a disability visited a museum or art gallery at least once in the 12 months prior to interview in 2003.
• Many people in Victoria participated in cultural activities as a hobby in 12 months prior to April 2007: 548,500 in art and craft, 85,700 in writing and 67,800 in music.
• Almost a third (32%) of children in Victoria, or 214,400 children, were involved in cultural activities outside of school hours, including playing musical instruments, singing, dancing and drama in the 12 months to April 2009.
• 52,400 people in Victoria undertook volunteer work in an arts or heritage organisation during 2006, equating to 1.4% of the total population.

Indigenous arts and culture

Almost one third (31%) of Indigenous people living in Victoria participated in at least one Indigenous creative arts activity.

• 302 Indigenous people in Victoria were employed in a cultural occupation as their main job in 2006, representing 3.5% of all employed Indigenous people in Victoria.
• 8,300 Indigenous people in Victoria visited a cultural heritage institution (museum, library or gallery) at least once in the three months prior to being interviewed in 2008, while 9,500 attended movies or a live performance.
• 6,700 Indigenous people in Victoria aged 15 years and over participated in at least one Indigenous creative arts activity (including arts and crafts; music, dance or theatre; and writing or telling stories) in the 12 months prior to interview in 2008. This equates to 31% of the Victorian Indigenous population.

Cultural spending

$3,951 million of Victoria's household expenditure is on cultural goods and services.

• Victorian households spent $3,951 million on arts and culture, averaging $39.76 a week in 2003-04.
• Of that expenditure Victorian households spent most on:
• • televisions and home entertainment systems $542 million
  • books $500 million
  • newspapers $276 million
  • other video equipment $264 million
  • pay TV fees $257 million.

$598 million in Victorian State government cultural funding.

• In 2008-09, cultural funding by the State government totalled $598 million, which equates to an average of $111.19 per person.
• Cultural funding by local governments in Victoria was $284 million in 2008-09, which equates to an average of $52.82 per person.

Cultural industries

The Victorian television services industry had an income of $950 million in 2006-07.

• Over 20,400 actively trading businesses in Victoria were in a cultural industry at the start of the 2006-07 financial year. The largest numbers of businesses were in architectural services, commercial art and display services and advertising services.
• The income for performing arts operations in Victoria was $190.5 million in 2006-07.
• In Victoria, the income for museums and art galleries was $239.3 million in 2007-08.