6281.0 - Work in Selected Culture and Leisure Activities, Australia, Apr 2004   
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/12/2004   
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  • Nearly One In Five Australians Involved in Culture and Leisure Work (Media Release)

MEDIA RELEASE

December 22, 2004
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
177/2004
Nearly One In Five Australians Involved in Culture and Leisure Work

Almost one in five (18%) people aged 15 and over were involved in some form of work related to selected culture or leisure activities, in the year ended April 2004, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. This was a slight increase from 2001 when 17% of the population had some involvement.

Work in culture and leisure activities was highest among people aged 15-24 years and those aged 35-44 years with 21% of people in these age groups involved. Overall, a higher proportion of females than males undertook cultural and leisure work (20% of females compared with 16% of males), while the rate for paid involvement was similar (6%) for both males and females.

With the exception of the Australian Capital Territory, all states and the Northern Territory had similar rates of people working in culture and leisure activities (between 18% and 20%). The Australian Capital Territory participation rate was considerably higher at 29%.

In 2004, the culture and leisure activity with the highest number of people involved was visual arts with 789,900, up from 503,200 in 2001. Other culture and leisure activities with high involvement were: writing (556,500 people); craft activities (542,700); performing arts (423,900); and design activities (370,200).

Of people working in the selected culture or leisure activities, one-third (957,500) received some financial or in-kind payment for their work in these activities. The majority (64%) of people who received some form of payment for their involvement reported that it was part of their main job. The activities with the highest proportion of participants receiving payment were: design (65%); television (64%); and interactive content creation (55%).

Further details can be found in Work in Selected Culture and Leisure Activities, Australia, April 2004 (cat. no. 6281.0).