FEATURE ARTICLE: ACT - FIT FOR CULTURE


ACT - FIT FOR CULTURE

INTRODUCTION

This article highlights results from the 2009-10 Multipurpose Household Survey (MPHS) relating to people aged 15 years and over and their attendance at selected cultural venues and events, sporting events and their participation in sport and physical recreation activities.

During the 12 months prior to interview in 2009-10, approximately 93% (259,300 people) of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) resident population aged 15 years and over (279,000 people) attended at least one of the surveyed cultural venues or events, while 49% attended at least one sporting event as a spectator. Over three quarters (77% or 215,100 people) participated in at least one sports or physical recreational activity.

ATTENDANCE OF CULTURAL VENUES AND EVENTS

During the 12 months prior to interview in 2009-10, ACT had the highest overall attendance rate (93%) of all the states and territories and was seven percentage points higher than Australia (86%). Across each of the selected cultural venues and events, attendance rates in the ACT were higher than Australia, while when compared with other states and territories, the ACT had the highest attendance rate for over half the cultural venues and events surveyed.

ATTENDANCE BY STATE AND TERRITORY

In every state and territory, Cinemas were the most popular cultural venue or event with ACT having the highest rate of attendance at 76%. ACT also had the highest attendance rate for Art galleries (46%), Museums (46%), Libraries (38%), Archives (16%), Classic music concerts (14%) and Theatre performances (23%). Northern Territory had the highest attendance rates at Zoological parks and aquariums (53%), Botanic Gardens (43%) and Dance performances (15%), Victoria had the highest attendance rate for Musicals and operas (21%), while Western Australia had the highest attendance rate for Popular music concerts (36%).

ATTENDANCE BY SEX

Overall, attendance rates for ACT females (95%) were higher than for males (91%). Females also had higher attendance rates than males in almost all cultural venues and events, except for Zoological parks and aquariums, where attendance rates were similar at 44% for males and 43% for females.

ATTENDANCE BY AGE GROUPS

In the ACT, people aged 15-34 years were more likely to attend at least one cultural venue or event, with an attendance rate of 98%, compared with 94% for people aged 35-54 years and 85% for people aged 55 years and over. The attendance rate for people aged 35-54 years was 94.0%, while people aged 55 years and over recorded an attendance rate of 85%.

For each of the three selected age groups, Cinemas were the most attended cultural venue or event. While almost all ACT residents aged 15-34 years had an attended at least one cultural venue or event, that age group recorded the highest attendance rate for only two cultural venues or events, Cinemas (86%) and Popular music concerts (48%).

ACT residents aged 35-54 years had the highest attendance rate for Zoological parks and aquariums (54%), Museums (52%), Libraries (44%), Theatre performances (26%) and Dance performances (18%), while ACT residents aged 55 years and over had the highest attendance rates for Art galleries (55%), Archives (23%), Musicals and operas (22%) and Classical music concerts (17%).

HOUSEHOLD INCOME

As household income increased, the overall attendance rate also increased, from 84% for those households in the lowest and second income quintiles, to 93% for those households in the third income quintile, up to 96% for those in the fourth and highest quintiles.

FREQUENCY OF ATTENDANCE

Almost three quarter (71%) of ACT usual residents, who attended Libraries, frequented the venue four or more times. Other cultural venues or events which experienced a high proportion of attendees frequenting the venue or event four or more times were Cinemas (64%), Popular music concerts (33%) and Art galleries (26%).


SPECTATOR ATTENDANCE AT SPORTING EVENTS

During the 12 months prior to interview in 2009-10, 49% of the ACT resident population attended at least one sporting event and was third behind Northern Territory (59%) and Victoria (50%). While the attendance rate in the ACT was six percentage points higher than Australia (43%), the ACT was only higher than the national average for three sports event - Rugby Union, Rugby League and Soccer. For the ACT, Rugby Union (15%) had the highest spectator attendance followed by Rugby League (14%) and Australian Rules football (11%). Comparing all states and territories, the ACT also had highest spectator rate in one sport, Rugby Union.

ATTENDANCE BY STATE AND TERRITORY

For most other states and territories, Australian Rules football was the sporting event which had the highest spectator attendance rate, except in News South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. Rugby League was the sport of choice in New South and Queensland, while Motor Sports was highest in Northern Territory. Of all the states and territories, the ACT had the highest attendance rate in two sports with Rugby Union and Soccer.

ATTENDANCE BY SEX

Overall, attendance rates for ACT males (57%) were higher than for ACT females (41%). ACT resident males account for higher attendance rates than ACT resident females for most sporting events, but it was interesting to note that females (15%) had a similar attendance rate to males (14%) at Rugby League games.

ATTENDANCE BY AGE GROUPS

In the ACT, people aged 15-34 years were more likely to attend at least one sporting event over the 12 months to June 2010, with an attendance rate of 59%. The attendance rates for people aged 35-54 years was 50% and people aged 55 years and over was 33%.


PARTICIPATION IN SPORT AND PHYSICAL RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES

During the 12 months prior to interview in 2009-10, 77% of the ACT resident population participated in at least one sport and physical recreation activity. Not only was the participation rate higher than the national average (64%) but it was also the highest participation rate of all the states and territories.

PARTICIPATION BY STATE AND TERRITORY

Walking for exercise was the most popular physical recreational activity in the ACT, with 27% of the ACT residents walking for exercise at least once in the 12 months prior to interview in 2009-10. The next most popular activity group was aerobics, fitness or gym activities (20%), followed by cycling or BMXing (12%). For all states and territories, walking for exercise was the most popular activity. For the top 10 activities, the ACT had the highest participation rate in aerobics, fitness or gym activities (20%), jogging and running (8.4%), tennis (5.3%) and soccer (5.5%).

PARTICIPATION BY SEX

ACT males and females had the same participation rate during the 12 months prior to interview in 2009-10 at 77%. While walking for exercise was the most popular activity amongst both sexes, ACT females were twice as likely to walk for exercise than ACT males (36% and 18% respectively). More ACT females than ACT males participated in aerobics, fitness or gym activities, netball and bush walking.

TYPE OF PARTICIPATION

36% of ACT residents reported participating in organised sport and physical recreation while 60% of participants took part in non-organised activity. Participation in organised sport and physical recreation in the ACT was highest amongst persons aged 15-24 years (57%), while people aged 45-54 years had the highest participation in non-organised activity (69%). A similar percentage of ACT males participated in organised activity than ACT females (37% and 35% respectively). This was also true when comparing ACT male and female participation in non-organised activity (61% and 60% respectively).

The most popular facilities used for those participating in organised sports and physical recreational activities in the ACT were structured facilities such as gyms, public pools or courts (64%), while facilities such as parks, beaches and walking trails were the most popular locations for those participating in non-organised activities (74%)

FREQUENCY OF PARTICIPATION

Of the 215,000 people who participated in sport and physical recreation in the ACT in the 12 months prior to interview, 43% participated 105 times or more (i.e. on average at least two times each week). By comparison, 7% participated 1-12 times in the 12 months prior to interview. A larger percentage of female than male participants took part 105 times or more (47% compared with 38% respectively).

FACILITIES USED

Overall, 59% of ACT residents who participated in sport and physical recreation used non-structured outdoor facilities such as parks, beaches or walking trails when undertaking their activity. This was the most frequently used facility. Structured facilities including gyms, public pools and courts (55%) were the next most commonly used. The popularity of these two types of facilities was found to be consistent for both males (52% and 59% respectively) and females (66% and 52% respectively).

HOUSEHOLD INCOME

People whose weekly household income was in the highest quintile reported a participation rate of 86%, whereas the participation rate for persons in the lowest quintile was 52%. It was interesting to note that people whose weekly household income was the second quintile reported a participation rate of 81% which was higher than those in the third and fourth quintile (75% and 77% respectively).


Related ABS publications

Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues and Events, Australia (cat. no. 4114.0)

Spectator Attendance at Sporting Events (cat. no. 4174.0)

Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation, Australia (cat. no. 4177.0)

For more information related to this article, such as information by sex, alternate age groups, and individual state and territory comparisons, as well as a range of other statistical information please follow the links above or contact our National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.