4114.0 - Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues and Events, Australia, 2002  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 28/10/2003   
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MEDIA RELEASE

October 28, 2003
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
2003
Movies pull the crowds

In 2002, a total of 10 million Australians aged 18 years and over (70% of the population) went to the cinema at least once over a 12 month period, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics today. Almost a quarter of these people went more than 10 times.

Of the Australian population aged 18 years and over, 12.8 million people (88%) went to at least one cultural venue or activity in 2002.

In addition to the cinema, other popular cultural venues included libraries (attended by 42% of the population), botanic gardens (42%) and zoological parks and aquariums (40%).

Popular music concerts were attended by 26% of the adult population, museums by 25%, art galleries by 25%, musicals and operas by 19%, theatre performances by 18%, dance performances by 11% and classical music concerts by 9%.

Zoological parks and aquariums experienced a significant increase in attendance, from 34% of the population in 1999 to 40% in 2002. Libraries also experienced a large rise in attendance rates over this period (from 37% to 42%).

For most venues and events, females were far more likely to attend than males. For dance performances, females comprised 62% of attendees, followed by musicals/operas at 60% and libraries at 59%.

People aged 65 years and over visited cultural venues and events at notably lower rates compared with people in other age groups.

Postgraduate degree holders recorded the highest attendance rates at six of the 12 venues and events included in the survey, while people with graduate diplomas and graduate certificates recorded the highest rates for five of the venues and events.

Further information is in Attendance at Cultural Venues and Events, Australia, 2002 (cat. no. 4114.0).