Creative and cultural engagement

Having time for family and community

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Metrics

  • Proportion of people who participated in at least one cultural activity
  • Proportion of people who attended at least one cultural venue or event

Why this matters

Participation in creative and cultural activities enriches people’s lives and can also have broader positive social and economic impacts.

Progress

Participation

In 2021-22:

  • about one third (32%) of peopled aged 15 years and over participated in cultural activities such as visual arts, music, dance and craft
  • most children aged 5-14 years (94%) participated in a cultural activity outside of school hours
  • participation rates were consistent with levels reported in 2017-18 (adults 31%, children 96%).

From 2026 onwards, this indicator will be updated with data from the expanded General Social Survey.

  1. Data for 2017-18 is sourced from Participation in Selected Cultural Activities.
Data Source
ABS Cultural and creative activities - Table 1

Attendance

In 2021-22:

  • nearly two in three adults (64%) and four in five children (80%) attended a cultural venue or event
  • attendance rates decreased from the levels reported in 2017-18 (adults 82%, children 94%).

The survey reference period was from July 2020 to June 2022, with attendance rates likely impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.

From 2026 onwards, this indicator will be updated with data from the expanded General Social Survey.

  1. Data for 2017-18 is sourced from Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues and Events, Australia.
Data Source
ABS Cultural and creative activities - Table 16

Differences across groups

In 2021-22:

  • for people aged 15 years and over, females were more likely to participate in at least one cultural activity than males (39%, compared with 25%)
  • people aged 15-24 years were more likely to participate (41%) in cultural activities than any other age group
  • boys and girls aged 5 -14 years participated at the same rate (94%) 
  • people aged 15 years and over were more likely to attend a cultural venue or event if they lived in a greater capital city (65%) compared with people living in other regions of Australia (61%). 

Disaggregation

Further information about how participation and attendance in cultural activities varies across groups is available in ABS Cultural Attendance and Participation Survey.

Disaggregation available includes:

  • Sex
  • Age group
  • Remoteness
  • Labour force status
  • Education
  • Income
  • Socioeconomic status
  • Cultural and Linguistic Diversity.