8697.0 - Performing Arts, Australia, 2002-03  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 03/09/2004   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All

MEDIA RELEASE

September 3, 2004
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
140/2004
Music and Theatre production generated $620 million in income

Australian music and theatre production organisations generated $620 million (m) in income during 2002-03, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Music and Theatre Production

Box office takings ($330m) accounted for over half (53%) of the total income of music and theatre production organisations in 2002-03. Musical theatre productions contributed to over one-third of these takings (38% or $125m), followed by popular music performance (20% or $67m) and drama productions (12% or $41m).

There were 53,000 paid performances, with 14 million people paying to attend various music and theatre productions during 2002-03.

More people paid to attend popular music performances than other types of music and theatre productions (28%). Other paid attendances included: musical theatre productions (22%), drama (18%), symphony and choral (11%), dance (5%) and opera (3%). (See Media Note below).

New South Wales accounted for the highest share of all paid attendances (43%), followed by Victoria (24%) and Queensland (16%).

Performing Arts Festivals

Performing arts festivals generated $89m in income in 2002-03. Both ticket sales and government funding each accounted for a just under one-third of the total (31% or $27m each), while fund-raising accounted for 27% or $24m.

There were 176 performing arts festivals operating for greater than two consecutive days, during 2002-2003, with the average duration being eight consecutive days.

Festivals attracted large numbers of volunteers (16,000 people) during the conduct of these events.

Across Australia, there were 29,700 performances at these festivals, including 3,000 performances by overseas acts, with an estimated 7.5 million people attending.

New South Wales had the highest number of festivals and attendances (31% and 43% respectively) followed by Victoria (27% and 30% respectively).

Further information is in Performing Arts, Australia 2002-03 (cat. no. 8697.0).

Media Note: Music and theatre production and performing arts festivals are distinct topics and should be reported in isolation.

Caution: Some music and theatre production organisations did not maintain complete records of paid attendances, therefore this data has been estimated.