PERFORMING ARTS OPERATION

Summary of Operations

Income

Performances and attendances

SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS

At the end of June 2007, there were 726 performing arts operation businesses/organisations in Australia. These businesses/organisations were mainly engaged in providing live theatrical or musical presentations (including popular music production, theatre production, opera, ballet and drama). These businesses:

• Employed 6,569 people at the end of June 2007, most of them as performing artists (49.5% of total employment or 3,249 people)
• generated a total income of $733.4m during the 2006-07 financial year
• incurred expenses of $682.7m for the same period.

Total industry value added by these businesses/organisations was $281.5m.

In addition to paid employment, there were 6,582 volunteers during the month of June 2007.

INCOME

During 2006-07, businesses/organisations predominantly involved in performing arts operation generated $733.4m in income.

The graph below shows that the main source of income for these businesses/organisations was box office income ($356m), which accounted for just under half (48.5%) of total income.

Government funding accounted for 23.7% (or $173.8m) of total income, and contract performance fees 9% (or $66.2m).

PERFORMANCES AND ATTENDANCES

During 2006-07, the 726 performing arts operation businesses/organisations reported 43,460 paid performances (of which 5.2% or 2,280 were performed overseas) and 12.3 million paid attendances (of which 7.3% or 899,200 were at productions performed overseas).

The graph below shows that drama production accounted for the largest proportion of total paid performances ( 33.1% or 14,368) followed by popular music (15.7% or 6,813) and musical theatre (13.3% or 5,799).

Drama production also accounted for the largest share of paid attendances (25.7% or 3.1 million), followed by symphony and choral production (18.1% or 2.2 million) and musical theatre (16.1% or 2 million).